Russia detains former UK embassy guard over alleged spying for Ukraine

MOSCOW, September 10. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) detained a former UK embassy security guard and Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) agent who was gathering information on British diplomats for Ukrainian blogger Dmitry Karpenko, also known as Apostol Dmitry, the press office reported.

A criminal case has been opened against the detainee on suspicion of state treason.

TASS has compiled the key information known at this time.

Detention

- During counterintelligence operations, the FSB exposed an agent of the Ukrainian Security Service, a Russian citizen born in 1981, who was an employee of a security firm providing protection for the UK embassy in Moscow, the FSB press office said.

- He was detained.

- It has been documented that the Russian national, acting on instructions from Ukrainian blogger Dmitry Karpenko (also known as Dmitry Apostol), collected information on employees of the abovementioned diplomatic mission, including photographs, residential addresses, vehicles used, meetings and trips, and the diplomatic mission’s security system and events held there.

Kiev’s plans

- The FSB emphasized that the Kiev regime planned to use the abovementioned information to prepare and carry out sabotage and terrorist acts against the head of the UK diplomatic mission and other diplomats, followed by accusations that Russia was responsible for these acts, in order to drag the UK into a direct armed conflict with Russia, ensure additional supplies of weapons and military equipment from London to Ukraine, and intensify sanctions pressure on Russia.

- The FSB drew the attention of the UK and other sponsors of the Zelensky regime to the fact that "for the sake of self-preservation, the Kiev authorities are ready to carry out sabotage and terrorist acts even against their strategic allies."

Confessions

- The former security officer at the UK embassy in Moscow, who gathered information on British diplomats for the SBU, stated that he was involved in security operations at the UK ambassador’s residence, the FSB reported in releasing the video of his interrogation.

- According to the detainee, the Ukrainian security services were interested in detailed information about the UK ambassador, his team, and the diplomatic mission’s security detail.

- The man passed this information on to Ukrainian blogger Dmitry Karpenko, whom he contacted on his own initiative.

- The detainee also confirmed Kiev’s plans to carry out a sabotage operation against the UK ambassador.

Correspondence between SBU agent, blogger

- The FSB released part of the detainee’s correspondence with Ukrainian blogger Dmitry Karpenko.

- According to a video containing screenshots of their correspondence, the SBU agent provided Karpenko with information about meetings held by UK Ambassador Nigel Casey.

- He also sent preliminary schedules for February and March, which included events involving the ambassador and his deputy at the embassy and the residence, as well as lists of residents living there.

- The correspondence indicates that lists of embassy security personnel, as well as photographs of diplomats, were sent to Kiev.

- The detainee also expressed a desire to defect to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Investigation

- A criminal case has been opened under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code (High Treason).

- A preliminary investigation is currently underway.

- The Russian FSB will continue to counter the activities of foreign intelligence services by all available means, the press office emphasized.

FSB officer’s comments

- British citizens may fall victim to the UK’s efforts to turn Ukraine into a "kamikaze" state, a Russian FSB officer noted.

- According to him, history shows that the British pit entire states against one another through complex intrigues, but this ultimately leads Britain to be drawn into the armed conflict it has unleashed.

- The officer pointed out that, under the UK’s influence, Ukraine has always looked on with envy at its patrons' historical provocations, which were either aimed at starting wars or preventing them from ending.

- According to him, the FSB hopes that the UK intelligence services were unaware of the provocation Kiev was preparing against British diplomats.

- Otherwise, the officer stressed, the matter takes an extremely serious turn.

FSB appeal

- The FSB urged citizens to refrain from contacting pro-Ukrainian bloggers, including Dmitry Karpenko, on whose behalf a Russian man detained in Moscow had been gathering information about British diplomats.

- The press office recommended that citizens who had already established contact with Ukrainian bloggers report it to the FSB.

- The FSB emphasized that, according to Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, a person who has committed treason is exempt from criminal liability if they voluntarily report to the authorities in a timely manner or otherwise contribute to preventing further harm to Russia’s interests and if their actions do not constitute another criminal offense.