EMOTIONAL ESPIONAGE

0:04 Welcome to Spycraft, a podcast that tells gripping life and death spy stories and the amazing devices and operations that made them possible. Now, let's get started. In May twenty five, Ukraine Security Service apprehended an IT specialists in Kristianifka Daniche region for allegedly spying for Russia. The suspect was a reportedly lured into espionage to the manipulative recruitment tactic involving promises of a personal relationship rather than traditional incentives like money or corrosion. According to the SSCU or the Ukraine Secret ser Security Service, Russian military intelligence contact of the man via a banned social media platform offering emotional connection in exchange for sensitive military information. This approach highlights a

1:38 shift in espion RS tactics, exploring post personal vulnerabilities to recruit informats. Now we know Russia typically uses a lot of times what do they call that the Romeo and the honey trap and the Romeo trap, and in this case it looks like it's something similar. Tasks with identifying Ukrainian military positions, including four fight areas and command posts around Costiandovica. The suspect allegedly gathered information by discreetly observing and recording locations during routine activities. The intelligence was intended to facilitate Russian air strikes using guided bombs, posing significant risks obviously to the Ukrainian forces. The SSU intervened early in the operation, detaining the suspect where he could before

2:23 he could transmit to collect the data. He now faces charges under part two of Article one point one of Ukraine's Criminal Code for high trees and during wartime. The incident again underscores the evolving nature of espionage in these conflict zones. It has become much more sophisticated and obviously they're doing something there. It's a little bit they're operating in a little different capacity. So to kind of follow up after being recruited, the man who was given a serious task. He was asked to find and send the exact coordinates of certain Ukraine any military locations. As we mentioned, these were including these were including fortified defense areas. The informant did not use any high tech spying tools. Instead,

3:09 he simply walked around the town in nearby areas quietly collecting the information himself. He blended in with other locals, pretending to go about his day while secretly scouting military spots. The Russian military had a clear plan for what they wanted to do with this information, so really a simple strategy, and I don't know how often this would work. I know the Ukrainians are saying that it's a harsh reminder to stay alert, not to trust suspicious offers, even in those disguise as emotional or friendly gestures. Out there, the spy world continues to evolve,