Ukraine jails former intelligence chief for spying for Russia's FSB

A Kyiv court sentenced former Security Service of Ukraine officer Dmytro Kozyura to life in prison on June 25 after finding him guilty of high treason under martial law. Kozyura, once head of the SBU Anti-Terrorist Center staff and counter-terrorism department, systematically passed classified information to Russia’s Federal Security Service.

Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, identified the secrets as details about critical infrastructure and the consequences of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv. The covert operation that exposed Kozyura was codenamed Rat, and he used a safehouse in Kyiv to communicate with Russian handlers. Ukrainian reports also said he relayed information on SBU command posts, strikes on business centers, and the number of wounded military personnel and civilians.

Kozyura’s case reaches deep into Ukraine’s internal security apparatus at a time when the country is fighting a prolonged war and trying to shield battlefield planning from penetration by Russian intelligence. Kozyura had worked at a senior level inside the agency responsible for counter-terrorism and security coordination, which made the breach especially sensitive. The SBU detained him in February 2025.

Ukrainian reports said the FSB recruited Kozyura in Vienna in March 2018, before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His active spying intensified after the invasion began, when wartime secrecy around troop movements, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and strike damage became more consequential. Some reports said he later cooperated with investigators in hopes of being exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.

Ukrainian reports said Kozyura had received presidential awards in 2016, including a medal for participation in the anti-terrorist operation and a commendation for diligent service.