According to the agencies, the woman began serving the KGB in 2015 and was dispatched to Ukraine in 2020 to conduct clandestine operations. Her mission, the agencies said, was to gather intelligence on Belarusians and Russians fighting alongside Ukrainian forces and to establish contacts with Chinese diplomats to monitor their activities in Ukraine.
During a months-long special operation, SBU and HUR security officers fed her fabricated documents disguised as classified materials. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison and confiscation of her assets.
Belarusian outlet Nasha Niva identified the detainee as Inna Kardash, a native of Minsk. Kardash previously worked for the United Company and Maxbet, as well as the Tut.by media portal. In 2020, she covered the anti-regime uprising, where she was detained multiple times before reportedly leaving the country.
After arriving in Ukraine, Nasha Niva reported, Kardash worked for the sanctioned channel 112 and later joined Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Interfax-Ukraine director Yehor Boltrik confirmed to Detector Media that Kardash was on the agency’s payroll from 2021 to 2024 but declined further comment.