Russia has activated a network of sleeper spies in Ukraine, says Oleksiy Danilov

Russia has activated a network of sleeper spies in Ukraine, including in the SBU, says the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, in his interview to The Times, reports the RFE/RL project Krym.Realii.

According to him, the purpose of these agents is to "drive a wedge between Ukraine's political leadership and military command, as well as to incite anti-government sentiments among the people."

Danilov noted that Russia was trying to take advantage of the "so-called tension" between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the UAF Commander-in-Chief, Valeriy Zaluzhny.

The NSDC Secretary also said that Russia was trying to "spread disinformation and propaganda to destabilize the situation in Ukraine."

The Russian intelligence uses two types of spies to work abroad: agents under diplomatic cover and agents they call "the illegals".

As IMI reported, the SBU counter-intelligence detained an FSB agent who had been "dormant" in the border area of Chernihiv oblast for over a year. Starting in October 2023, he began collecting intelligence on the deployment of Ukrainian military personnel in the oblast on the orders of the Russian special services.