Ukraine arrests soldier accused of planning missile strike on brigade commander

The SBU announced the operation on Thursday, Nov. 12. 

The suspect was detained in Mykolaiv. According to investigators, he was supposed to guide a Russian missile strike in real time against the headquarters of a combat unit where the colonel was located.

The SBU said it had secured the locations of Ukrainian paratroopers in advance and detained the "mole" as he prepared to transmit coordinates for the strike to his FSB handler.

Investigators seized a phone containing evidence of the suspect's alleged work for Russian forces.

According to the SBU, the man came to the FSB's attention while seeking intimate relationships through Telegram dating channels.

The suspect gathered intelligence on the whereabouts of the brigade's command personnel and passed information to Russian forces about facilities used to store and launch Ukrainian strike drones targeting rear areas in Russia, the SBU said.

The suspect has been formally notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (high treason). He faces life imprisonment and is being held in custody without the possibility of bail.