Ukrainian Soldier’s Online Dating Ends in Murder Plot Arrest

Ukrainian security officers detained a paratrooper suspected of working for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and helping prepare a missile strike to kill his brigade commander, authorities said on Thursday, Nov. 12.The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said the mobilized serviceman was arrested at his unit’s premises in Mykolaiv as he prepared to send his Russian handler coordinates of a military facility where the commander was expected to be.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“The suspect was supposed to guide an enemy missile strike in real time at the formation’s headquarters,” the SBU said. It described the intended target as a colonel commanding one of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces brigades.The agency said its military counterintelligence officers worked with Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), with assistance from the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Officers secured the threatened military locations before detaining the suspect, it said.Investigators seized a smartphone containing messages to an FSB officer about preparations for the commander’s killing, according to the SBU.How was the soldier allegedly recruited?The SBU said Russian intelligence took an interest in the serviceman while he was looking for a relationship through Telegram dating channels. After recruitment, he communicated directly with an FSB officer through an anonymous chat on the messaging platform, investigators said.Acting on the officer’s instructions, he allegedly used his position as a driver to gather information about the whereabouts of the brigade’s commanders. Other Topics of Interest Russia’s Sergei Ryabkov praises General Alexus Grynkewich’s role in Abu Dhabi while warning against European participation in Ukraine peace talks. Investigators also accuse him of passing Russia information about the storage and launch sites of Ukrainian attack drones used to strike Russian forces in the rear.The statement did not identify the suspect, the brigade or its commander. It also did not specify the date of the detention or when the alleged recruitment took place.What is the suspect accused of?Investigators have formally notified the serviceman that he is suspected of high treason committed under martial law, under Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code.He is being held without the option of bail. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment and confiscation of property, the SBU said.The investigation involves SBU officers in the Mykolaiv region, under the supervision of the Mykolaiv specialized defense prosecutor’s office for the Southern region.Other reported plots targeting Ukrainian troopsThe SBU has previously reported suspected Russian efforts to use serving Ukrainian soldiers to locate commanders and military facilities.In March, it said it prevented a planned strike targeting Third Army Corps commander Andriy Biletsky. Investigators alleged that a drone operator from another brigade in the Kharkiv region had been tasked with tracking when and where Biletsky might visit frontline positions.The suspect allegedly used access to internal military information and tried to obtain classified details from fellow soldiers. The SBU said he was also supposed to provide the locations of his own brigade’s headquarters and training center for separate Russian attacks.In a separate Oct. 22 case, the SBU said it evacuated more than 100 drone operators after a suspected FSB recruit disclosed his unit’s coordinates. The agency said that man had been recruited before mobilization and subsequently instructed to join the military to gather intelligence from within.Investigators said he later left his unit without permission and moved to the Kyiv region, where he monitored army logistics centers. Russian handlers allegedly promised to arrange his relocation to Russia and Russian citizenship in exchange for cooperation.The service has also warned of Russian operations using dating platforms to target soldiers. In that earlier warning, it said it had foiled more than 50 assassination attempts of this kind since the start of 2026.According to the SBU, Russian operatives used fake romantic profiles on dating websites and messenger chats to lure Ukrainian troops to locations prepared for attacks. That warning described separate cases; the Mykolaiv statement says the serviceman drew Russian attention while seeking a relationship and was subsequently recruited. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.