The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has apprehended suspected Russian agents accused of aiding the targeting during an attack on Kyiv on Sept. 21, by relaying coordinates to Moscow’s forces before the strike.
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“The primary targets of the enemy’s assault were vital infrastructure in the capital, including energy-generating facilities,” the SBU’s press service stated in a release published on Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Two local residents, who were allegedly working on behalf of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU), were identified as the individuals responsible for directing Russian missiles toward Kyiv.
Their anti-Ukrainian social media posts, distributed after the full-scale Russian invasion began, brought them to the attention of the GRU.
Subsequently, a representative of the Russian GRU recruited both men remotely and tasked them with collecting intelligence within Kyiv’s territory.
“According to the Russian special service’s instructions, these agents monitored the movements and bases of Ukraine’s Defense Forces in the capital region,” the SBU reported.
To carry out their mission, the recruited individuals roamed the streets, discreetly documenting the positions of Ukrainian defenders.
Additionally, they gathered information from their acquaintances, disguising their inquiries within everyday conversations.
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The agents transmitted photos and geolocations of strategically significant energy infrastructure facilities to their Russian handler.
For communication, they used a messaging platform and created several anonymous accounts to conceal their “sessions.” Payment from the Russians was provided for each successfully completed task.
The agents now face potential life imprisonment.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has responded to the detention of these Russian agents.
“The SBU has achieved results. They have detained the individuals who directed the nighttime attack on Kyiv a week ago. This is a clear warning to all traitors: retribution awaits,” the president emphasized on his Telegram channel.
On Sept. 21, Russian forces launched an attack on energy facilities in Ukraine, marking the first such attack in six months.
Early Thursday morning, city officials reported that more than 20 Russian missiles and drones were intercepted over Kyiv, resulting in a series of powerful explosions in the capital.
Debris from the rockets fell in several districts of the city, causing at least seven injuries, as reported by Mayor Vitali Klitschko via Telegram.
By 4:30 a.m., sirens were blaring across Kyiv. About an hour later, a Kyiv Post correspondent in the Podil neighborhood heard what seemed to be an unmanned aerial vehicle, followed by the sounds of anti-aircraft fire and a nearby explosion.
In the city center, Kyiv Post journalists heard a series of loud explosions overhead as missiles and drones were intercepted by anti-aircraft defenses.
The attack on Kyiv damaged power grids, leaving thousands without electricity.
According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces Air Force, on Sept. 21, Russian forces launched a total of 43 missiles from strategic aviation over Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses successfully downed 38 of them.
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