A British man accused of Russian espionage and plotting ‘terrorist attacks’ could face up to 12 years in prison
A British man has been detained in Ukraine accused of spying for Russia and plotting “terrorist attacks”.
Kyiv prosecutors said the unnamed man passed sensitive information to Russian intelligence while working as a military instructor. He allegedly gathered intel on facilities in Odesa, tried to access military units and discussed “the possibility of using explosive devices”. One task reportedly earned him £5,148, according to prosecutors.
Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, said he had been “preparing to commit terrorist attacks” in a separate statement. The SBU said Russian spies sent him instructions on making an improvised explosive device and gave him the location of a weapons cache, from which he allegedly took a pistol and two loaded magazines.
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The man is said to have arrived in Ukraine in January 2024 and ran “instructional sessions for military personnel in Mykolaiv”, a city near the front line in the south of the country. He then moved to the port city of Odesa in September, where prosecutors say he was in contact with a “representative of the Russian special service” and agreed to sell military information.
Evidence suggests that in May he sent the location of Ukrainian units, photos of training areas and personal details of military personnel, according to prosecutors. The SBU also said he had “professional skills in fire and tactical training” and openly advertised on “pro-Kremlin internet groups” that he was willing to spy.
The man was detained at his “temporary residence” in Kyiv, the SBU said. He appeared in court this week and was held without bail while a pre-trial investigation took place. Ukrainian security services say he could face up to 12 years in prison.
The UK Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports and is “in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities”.
This appears to be the first publicly reported case of a British national facing espionage charges in Ukraine.
It comes as three men, aged 44, 45 and 48, were recently arrested on suspicion of assisting Russia’s intelligence service, the Metropolitan Police said. The men were detained by Counter Terrorism Policing at addresses in west and central London last Thursday and remain in police custody under section 3 of the National Security Act, the force added.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services and these arrests are directly related to our ongoing efforts to disrupt this type of activity.
“Anyone who might be contacted by and tempted into carrying out criminal activity on behalf of a foreign state here in the UK should think again. This kind of activity will be investigated and anyone found to be involved can expect to be prosecuted and there are potentially very serious consequences for those who are convicted.”