Larisa Kozovaya11:22, 23.08.24

The traitor moved from the Donetsk region and maintained contact with the “DPR-LPR” militants for many years.

The detainee was collecting information in favor of the Russians / collage UNIAN, photo Odessa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, State Emergency Service of Odessa Region

A realtor involved in the attack by Russian occupiers, which was the largest in the city in terms of the number of dead and wounded, was detained in Odessa. On March 15, 21 people were killed and more than 70 were wounded in a double strike with Iskander missiles . The victims included police officers, rescuers, and ambulance workers.

As reported by the press service of the Odessa Regional Prosecutor’s Office , the suspect was engaged in intelligence and subversive work for representatives of the Russian special services. On the instructions of Russian curators, he collected information about the locations of personnel, weapons and military equipment of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, and also studied the socio-political situation in Odessa and the region.

“The agent also recorded the consequences of enemy strikes on the regional center. It was he who, on March 15 of this year, transmitted information to the enemy about the results of a double missile strike on the civilian infrastructure of Odessa. As a result of the strike, 21 people were killed and more than 70 were injured. The suspect not only observed the events, but also discussed the details of the attack with a representative of the Russian special services,” the report says.

It is noted that the occupiers needed such information to prepare new shelling of the region.

In addition, according to the press service, the defendant distinguished himself with a number of publications and comments on social networks that caused a wave of indignation among the public. In his statements, he repeatedly humiliated the national honor and dignity of Ukrainians, incited national enmity and hatred, and also justified the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which began back in 2014.

Law enforcement officers detained the man at his place of residence in Odessa. During the search, a mobile phone was found, which contained correspondence with a Russian curator and other evidence of illegal activity.

At the request of the prosecution, the suspect was remanded in custody. He was informed of the suspicion of high treason, incitement of racial hatred and enmity, as well as justification and recognition of the lawful armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (Part 2 of Article 111, Part 1 of Article 161, Part 1 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

As UNIAN was told by the prosecutor’s office, the perpetrator was a native of Donetsk.

“It was established that approximately in mid-April 2014, with the start of active fighting in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, he left the city of Gorlovka in the Donetsk region and lived in Kharkov, Kyiv, and later moved to Odessa. Before the full-scale invasion, he often visited the occupied territory. He is, as they say, a fan of the “Russian world”, was for Novorossiya. He has friends among the militants of the DPR and LPR,” – a prosecutor’s office employee.

According to the SBU Directorate in Odessa Oblast , the perpetrator worked as a realtor in Odessa, and the realtor “blindly” used connections among his clients to collect intelligence.

“On March 15, he “reported” to the Russian special service about the consequences of the double strike… Then the occupiers attacked civilian infrastructure with Iskander-M ballistic missiles. When rescuers, National Police officers and doctors arrived at the “landing” site, the Russians hit them with a second missile,” the special service said.

This FSB agent immediately arrived at the scene, conducted additional reconnaissance there and passed on to the occupiers information about the affected objects and the estimated number of dead and wounded.

It was established that he communicated with the Russian special service through his acquaintance – a member of the Russian occupation groups who took part in the capture of Mariupol and Bakhmut. This militant passed on intelligence information to his brother, who is part of the FSB unit stationed in the temporarily captured part of the Donetsk region.

According to the SBU, after the “leak” of information about the double strike that took place on March 15, the traitor continued to carry out tasks to adjust enemy fire.

“During the special operation, SBU officers documented the suspect’s crimes step by step and detained him when he was preparing to transfer new intelligence to the aggressor,” the statement said.

The offender faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Ballistic strike on Odessa on March 15 : what is known

On March 15, 2024, the Russian occupation army launched a double strike on Odessa with Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

It was immediately reported that a large number of people were killed and wounded as a result of the strike. It became known in the evening that 75 people were injured as a result of the rocket attack, and more than 20 were killed. Among the dead were rescuers, police officers, and ambulance workers.

For example, paramedic Sergei Rotaru, who arrived to help the victims after the first explosion, died; he left behind a wife and two minor children.

Also victims of the second strike were 29-year-old driver-firefighter Denis Kolesnikov, former vice-mayor of the city Sergei Tetyukhin (he resigned in November 2023 and went to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine), commander of the Tsunami battalion of the NPU Alexander Gostishchev, and others.

(c)UNIAN 2024