Foreign instructor sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for spying for FSB – SBU

A court has sentenced a retired foreign military instructor who worked for the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to eight and a half years in prison, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported. The SBU detained the instructor in October 2025 at his place of temporary residence.

The investigation established that the agent provided Russia with information about the Ukrainian Defense Forces and was preparing to commit terrorist acts. The foreigner, a former military instructor from a European country with professional knowledge of firearms and tactical training, arrived in Ukraine in early 2024 to train mobilized personnel. However, he soon ceased this work and sought "easy money" in pro-Kremlin online communities, where he was recruited by an FSB employee.

Following his recruitment, the agent began transmitting information to Russia regarding other foreign instructors of the Defense Forces and provided coordinates for Armed Forces of Ukraine training centers in southern Ukraine. Furthermore, he received instructions from an FSB handler on manufacturing an improvised explosive device and retrieved a pistol with two loaded magazines from a hidden cache for use in a planned series of terrorist acts.

Based on evidence collected by the SBU, the individual was found guilty under Part 3 of Article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which concerns the unauthorized dissemination of information about the placement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under martial law. Taking into account his cooperation with the investigation, the court sentenced him to eight and a half years of imprisonment. The investigation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General’s Office.