Ukraine's Security Service detains 700 suspects in cooperation with Russia over a year

Law enforcement officers detained the suspects in the high treason case. Photo: SSU

Since the spring of 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine has detained more than 700 people involved in espionage, arson and explosions organised on the instructions of Russia.

This was announced by SSU spokesman Artem Dekhtiarenko in a comment to the Financial Times.

It is noted that 175 of the 700 detainees are minors under the age of 18. According to the juvenile police, in May 2025 alone, about 50 Ukrainian teenagers reported attempts to recruit through messengers.

According to Artem Dekhtiarenko, most of those recruited acted consciously, but there were also those who were deceived into working for the enemy.

«Minors cannot foresee the consequences of their actions, which makes them particularly vulnerable to recruitment by Russia», he said.

Initially, according to the SSU, the main tasks for the recruits were arson attacks on military equipment and energy infrastructure. Later, Russian special services began to use Ukrainians as perpetrators of sabotage, including those with fatal consequences.

In May, law enforcement officers detained five people suspected of passing information to Russian special services. The detentions took place simultaneously in Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Mykolaiv, as well as in Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions.