FSB officers detained in Ukraine on charges of espionage

On February 2, 2010 Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the Ukrainian intelligence (SBU) chief announced at a news conference, that Ukraine has detained a Russian intelligence officer and expelled four others, breaking up what it said was a spy ring that intended to steal military and state secrets.

Nalyvaichenko said the Russians were detained on Jan. 27 “trying to illegally obtain Ukrainian secrets through blackmail and threats.” The officers had digital voice recorders, pen-shaped miniature video cameras, memory cards disguised as key-chains, other electronic equipment and $2,000 in cash when they were arrested.

“They were caught red-handed,” Mr. Nalyvaichenko said, according to Ukrainian news agencies.

The Ukrainian announcement brought an unusual public rebuke from the FSB, which expressed surprise that its Ukrainian counterpart, had not sought to resolve the case “through cooperation between special services,” Russian news agencies reported. The FSB said in a statement that it had acted to defend itself because of spying by Ukraine. The FSB claimed that in October, it arrested a Ukrainian intelligence agent at a Russian military site in a separatist region of Moldova, another former Soviet republic. He was carrying a digital camera and scans of documents marked “top secret.” The man then apparently agreed to work as a double agent and help the Russians learn about Ukrainian spying against Russia, Russian officials said. He was scheduled to meet the Russian agents in the Odessa region of Ukraine to hand over information when they were arrested, the officials said.

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