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Belarusian KGB Spy Arrested in Kyiv While Attempting to Infiltrate Ukrainian Intelligence
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On January 27, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed the arrest in Kyiv of a Belarusian national accused of spying for the Belarusian KGB and attempting to infiltrate Ukraine’s military intelligence.
According to the SBU, the 35‑year‑old woman worked for the Belarusian KGB from 2015 and was sent to Ukraine in 2020 under the cover of journalistic activity. Initially, she worked as a correspondent for the now‑sanctioned 112 Channel, associated with pro‑Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, reporting from countries of the former Soviet Union.
After Medvedchuk’s media outlets were shut down, the Belarusian intelligence service allegedly deployed her to Ukraine where she secured a position at a major Ukrainian media outlet.
Investigators say she used this role and her professional contacts to cultivate relationships with politicians, military personnel, and foreign diplomats all while secretly gathering information for her handlers.
The SBU says that during the full‑scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, her KGB handler instructed her to travel to a European Union country for additional intelligence training. She crossed the border under the pretext of needing a medical examination and used a disposable smartphone to maintain contact with her controllers.
While abroad, she was directed to collect information on Belarusians and Russians supporting Ukraine against the aggressor state.
Investigators also allege that the spy was tasked with establishing informal contacts with officials at the Chinese Embassy in Kyiv to gather intelligence on Chinese diplomatic activities in Ukraine.
After returning to Kyiv, she attempted to secure a position within a staff unit of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR)—the military intelligence branch—but was instead identified and tracked by the HUR’s internal security service, working in coordination with the SBU.
According to security officials, the operation to expose her lasted several months, during which investigators documented her actions and even conducted a counter‑intelligence “operational game,” feeding controlled misinformation back through her to Belarusian intelligence.
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Once authorities had gathered a full body of evidence, she was detained near her residence in Kyiv, and law enforcement seized both her smartphone and a voice recorder believed to have been used to record sensitive information.
The suspect has been formally notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 114 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (espionage). She is currently in custody and faces up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property if convicted.
Earlier, it was reported that Belarusian journalists have identified Ukrainian-made anti-tank guided missiles in the possession of the KGB’s elite Alfa unit, raising new questions about Belarus’s potential involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
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