Ukrainian pilot accused of spying on F-16, Mirage 2000 airbases for Russia

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has detained an instructor pilot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on charges of high treason, accusing him of operating as an agent for Russia’s military intelligence service (GRU). 

The arrest was announced on July 30, 2025, following a counterintelligence operation led by the SBU’s military branch with support from the Commander-in-Chief of the AFU. The accused, a Ukrainian Air Force major, served in one of the country’s air brigades tasked with intercepting Russian missiles and drones and providing close air support to ground forces. 

According to the SBU, the officer had been secretly passing critical military information to Russian handlers while continuing to carry out operational duties within the Ukrainian Air Force. 

Air bases housing F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters among targets 

Security Service of UkraineInvestigators say the pilot collected and transmitted data on the location and operational status of Ukrainian air assets, including aircraft schedules and deployment patterns. Among the priority targets were airbases housing Western-supplied F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters, as well as Su-24 bombers believed to be modified for Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missile launches. 

The agent is also accused of providing the GRU with an analytical report advising on potential tactics to circumvent Ukrainian air defenses and improve the effectiveness of Russian missile and drone strikes. 

In addition to operational data, the pilot allegedly shared the personal information of fellow Ukrainian pilots, including aircraft tail numbers, weapons configurations, and mission tactics. 

Secret communications and arrest 

The SBU says the pilot used encrypted messaging applications and anonymous email channels to coordinate with his Russian handler. His activities were tracked over time, and he was apprehended while attempting to gather a new batch of classified information. 

The pilot is now facing charges under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, high treason committed under martial law, a charge that carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment and property confiscation. 

The case is being investigated by the SBU in the Ivano-Frankivsk region under the supervision of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in the Field of Defense of Ukraine’s Western Region. 

A shadow war in the skies 

The arrest comes amid a broader intelligence battle between Kyiv and Moscow, one increasingly focused on aviators, who represent both strategic value and operational knowledge in a war where neither side has achieved air superiority more than three years in. 

Read more: Spy game: Bellingcat reveals details of Ukrainian plot to recruit Russian pilots 

In one high-profile episode in 2022, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed it had uncovered a Ukrainian plot to bribe Russian military pilots to defect with their aircraft, offering up to $2 million and citizenship in a Baltic state. Investigative journalist Christo Grozev of Bellingcat later revealed that the operation had turned into a complex game of deception, with both sides feeding each other disinformation once they realized the scheme had been compromised. 

This latest arrest serves as a reminder that combat pilots are not just targets in the sky, but also in the shadows, vulnerable to infiltration, surveillance, and subversion. 

Read more: Ex-French Navy pilot investigated for alleged intelligence sharing with China The post Ukrainian pilot accused of spying on F-16, Mirage 2000 airbases for Russia appeared first on AeroTime.

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