The SBU has charged a Russian GRU officer who coordinated attacks in the Carpathian region

The Security Service of Ukraine has charged, in absentia, Lieutenant Colonel Marat Tsevelev of Russian military intelligence (GRU), who, according to the investigation, coordinated the preparation of Russian missile and drone attacks on the Carpathian region in January 2026.

This was reported by the SBU.

According to the investigation, the main targets of the Russian strikes were the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant, defense facilities, and a key power substation in the western region.

To coordinate the strikes, Tsevelev, according to the SBU, recruited a 17-year-old graduate of a local technical college who was looking for part-time work on Telegram channels.

Following his instructions, the girl conducted reconnaissance near energy facilities, including the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant and a key power substation, documenting their condition after previous shelling.

She then took photos and videos of military facilities and marked their coordinates on a map. She transmitted the collected information to her handler via messaging apps.

The SBU states that it uncovered the intelligence activities and documented the agent’s contacts with her Russian handler. In early 2026, she was detained while photographing a military facility, and her phone, containing evidence, was seized.

According to the investigation, Tsevelev serves in the 317th Naval Special Operations Center of the Russian GRU, based in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol.

The SBU notes that the Russian military intelligence unit uses agent networks to collect data and identify targets for missile and bomb strikes on Ukrainian territory.

Based on the evidence gathered, Tsevelev was notified in absentia of her status as a suspect under Part 1 of Article 114 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (espionage).

The indictment against the agent has been sent to court under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (treason committed under martial law).

Prior to this, the Security Service gathered evidence against a pseudo-official of the occupying authorities who has been working for the Russians in Horlivka since 2023. In her capacity as head of the Federal Tax Service inspection office for the city of Horlivka, she monitored compliance with tax and fee legislation for the benefit of the Russian Federation.