World News
Two Russians say they secretly work for Ukraine's GUR on sabotage
BBC News reports that Ivan and Foma, two Russian men, claim to run covert operations for Ukraine's military intelligence inside Russia.
The short version
- Two Russian men, Ivan and Foma, say they secretly work for Ukraine's GUR on operations targeting Russian military assets and personnel.[BBC News]
- Ivan says he played a role in Ukrainian drone attacks from inside Russia and surveilled military sites for hidden drone components.[BBC News]
- Foma says he passed intelligence on Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov to Ukraine, who was assassinated in Moscow in December last year.[BBC News]
- Foma's estimate of 300 to 500 Russians working for Ukraine cannot be verified, and the GUR says it cannot know the full picture.[BBC News]
Key facts
- Two Russian men, Ivan and Foma, state they secretly work for Ukraine's GUR military intelligence service.[BBC News]
- The GUR has confirmed that Ivan and Foma both work for the agency.[BBC News]
- Ivan says he surveilled military sites, located places to hide drone components, and played a role in Ukrainian drone attacks from Russia.[BBC News]
- A video Ivan sent shows him apparently hiding explosives near a Russian military airfield.[BBC News]
- Foma says he runs a network of undercover volunteers who surveil high-level Russian officers, and that the volunteers do not carry out attacks.[BBC News]
- Foma says he admitted providing Ukrainian intelligence on Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov after Sarvarov was assassinated in Moscow in December last year.[BBC News]
- Foma says his network has about three dozen people split between Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Foma's estimate that about 300 to 500 Russians work for Ukraine in this capacity cannot be independently verified.[BBC News]
- The GUR acknowledges it cannot know the full picture, and both the agency and the men are cautious about sharing details, so the men's claimed activities cannot be verified.[BBC News]
- Ivan's handler said he was not sure of anyone except himself, and later could not rule out that Ivan might also work for the Russians, voluntarily or under duress.[BBC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.