A suspected Russian spy in Ukraine’s national anti-graft bureau was arrested in Kyiv after security officials accused him of leaking restricted data to Russian intelligence via a traitor tied to fugitive ex-president Viktor Yanukovych. Liga reports that the Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv ordered the officer’s pretrial detention without bail until 20 September.

Anti-graft bureau officer suspected of spying for Russia

Liga, citing a law enforcement source, reports that the arrested individual is Viktor Husarov, an officer from the D-2 closed unit within the central office of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). He was detained by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on 21 July.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the suspect allegedly carried out espionage on behalf of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Investigators claim he passed information about Ukrainian law enforcement officials and civilians to Russian intelligence through an intermediary. That intermediary, the office said, was Dmytro Ivantsov — a known traitor and former deputy head of personal security for Yanukovych, who assisted the former president’s escape to Russia in February 2014.

The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that at least 60 episodes of transmitting restricted information had been documented.

“For each such transmission, the NABU officer received funds to his bank card,” prosecutors added.

The officer has been officially charged with state treason and unauthorized actions involving restricted information committed by a person with authorized access.

SBU operation aimed to neutralize Russian penetration of NABU

On 21 July, the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office announced the launch of a special operation to disrupt Russian infiltration within NABU. The agencies stated they had detained a staff member of the central apparatus of NABU suspected of spying for Russia.

NABU said that it had earlier received a warning in August 2023 from SBU leadership about potential risks involving the suspect. The agency said it initiated an internal interview process to evaluate possible disciplinary action or dismissal. However, according to NABU, the SBU advised it not to proceed in order to avoid interfering with an ongoing counterintelligence operation targeting other individuals connected to the traitor.