Ukraine disrupts largest Russian spy network targeting F‑16s
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported uncovering the "largest network of Russian agents" operating in both the north and south of the country. Twelve spies have been detained. Their primary interest was in the F-16 jets delivered to Ukraine, and this article outlines their features and capabilities.
The SBU shared details about the detention of these Russian spies through its Telegram profile. The agents were found to have provided Russian services with detailed information regarding Ukrainian air defence and the locations of secret airfields hosting F-16 aircraft. The espionage activities spanned five Ukrainian regions.
Ukrainians detain Russian spies
According to the information released by the SBU, some of the detained agents were former soldiers who deserted from the Ukrainian army and were recruited by Russian services while evading Ukrainian authorities. It is known that the agents operated individually, with their leader located in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
F-16 jets are among the most valuable weapons received by Ukraine as part of Western support. The F-16 jets sent to the front are modified variants of the F-16A/B MLU (Mid-Life Update), which are aircraft equipped with enhanced radars and, importantly, adapted to operate with a wider range of armaments, including AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with a range of about 100 kilometres.
Ukrainian pilots speak highly of these jets, appreciating their advantages over older post-Soviet aircraft. During one of the massive assaults on Ukraine that Russia conducted at the beginning of December this year, F-16s were involved in the defence. The Ukrainian command reported that these Western-supplied fighters managed to shoot down 11 cruise missiles.
Russian spies face severe penalties
The portal Gazeta.ua reports that counterintelligence efforts led to the arrest of the organizer of the spy group and his main accomplices. Mobile phones, various data carriers, military documents, and forged identity documents were confiscated during searches.
Individuals involved in espionage activities in Ukraine now face serious sentences, ranging from eight years of imprisonment to life, with the possibility of property confiscation.
