The Security Service of Ukraine has detained two suspects in Lviv who, according to the agency, illegally registered 14 Starlink terminals for Russian armed groups. Russian forces used this communication system to plan operations against the Defence Forces in the Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, the SBU reported. All the illegally registered systems have been blocked.
Briefly about the main points
- Two suspects accused of aiding Russia have been arrested in Lviv.
- According to the SBU, 14 terminals were set up for the Russian forces.
- The documents of 14 people were used to fraudulently verify devices.
- The SBU has blocked illegally registered satellite communication systems.
- The detainees are being held in custody; they face up to 12 years’ imprisonment.
How the scheme operated, according to the investigation
According to the SBU, the Russian security services recruited a student from Lviv whilst he was looking for «easy» money on Telegram channels. He enlisted the help of an unemployed acquaintance from Lviv, who assisted in finding people to set up payment terminals.
The investigation established that the suspects had fraudulently recruited 14 people and used their passport details to device verification. Once activated, they passed the details on to a Russian supervisor and were paid for doing so.
System lockouts and suspicion
Counter-intelligence documented the activities of both individuals and arrested them at their homes. During the searches, mobile phones were seized which, according to the security service, the suspects had used to coordinate their actions with the enemy. The SBU reported that all illegally registered systems had been blocked and that information was being verified regarding the possible illegal registration by these individuals of a further 40 satellite communication terminals.
The detainees were informed that they were under suspicion of Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code — aiding an aggressor state, committed by a group of individuals acting in collusion. They are being held in custody without the right to bail. They face up to 12 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property. The investigation is ongoing.
