For Oleh Kolesnikov, espionage seems to be a family tradition. The Ukrainian national shared that his father was a Soviet intelligence officer stationed in Cuba during the Cold War, posing as a translator, and that his cousin is currently affiliated with the Russian security service. This background made Kolesnikov a prime candidate for espionage during the ongoing conflict.
In an interview with Reuters, Kolesnikov revealed that he agreed to pass on information to Russian forces about military installations and troop movements in his hometown of Zaporizhzhia, even providing details about missile strike locations. Although he once supported the "Russian World" ideology promoted by President Vladimir Putin—emphasizing Moscow's historical and cultural ties with neighboring countries—Kolesnikov expressed regret over the human cost of the war. “I didn’t do this for money,” he said, but the missile strikes' inaccuracy, which led to civilian casualties, weighed heavily on him. What he had anticipated as a quick, efficient war had instead dragged on for nearly three years, devastating his country. “I thought they (the Russians) would advance rapidly,” he recalled. "But it turned out like it always does. They plan one thing, and something entirely different happens."
His arrest for treason also led to the collapse of his family, with his wife leaving him and taking their 11-year-old child. Kolesnikov was detained in Zaporizhzhia in April, five months before his conviction and life sentence for treason. His case is one of over 3,200 treason investigations initiated by Ukrainian authorities since Russia's invasion, which involve providing intelligence to Moscow or spreading Russian propaganda, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
In interviews with informants and SBU counter-intelligence officers, Reuters explored the divided loyalties some Ukrainians feel, particularly older generations who grew up in the Soviet Union. Vasyl Maliuk, head of the SBU, emphasized that rooting out Russian agents is crucial to Ukraine's success in the war. "We have been secretly infiltrated by the Kremlin for decades," he stated, noting that their systematic efforts have produced results in purging enemy agents from various sectors of society.
Though Russia's foreign ministry and Federal Security Service (FSB) declined to comment, Ukraine's own intelligence services have been active in the conflict, targeting high-level Russian officials. For instance, the SBU was reportedly behind a bomb attack that killed Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov in December.
The SBU has identified certain categories of people as susceptible to recruitment by Russian forces, including those with pro-Russian views, familial ties to Soviet or Russian intelligence, or relatives of captured Ukrainian soldiers. Kolesnikov fell into the first category. He was convicted of providing Russian forces with detailed information about military sites in Zaporizhzhia. One such instance was when he shared information about a meeting of local officials scheduled at the Sunrise Hotel, which was struck by a Russian missile the following day, killing one civilian and injuring five others. Kolesnikov claims he was only verifying the aftermath of attacks, not identifying targets.
His involvement was uncovered after SBU agents traced his car to several missile impact sites, including one in March 2022 that killed civilians. They further investigated after a bug was planted in his vehicle, where he was overheard discussing his intelligence-gathering activities with a friend, Vitaly Kusakin, who was later arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Kolesnikov was arrested in May 2023. During his trial, he admitted some responsibility but claimed he did not know his cousin, who had asked for the information, was an FSB agent. However, the court found him guilty of intentionally assisting foreign agents in subversive activities.
Maliuk stated that the SBU had dismantled 47 Russian espionage networks in 2022 and another 46 this year. Recruitment efforts have evolved, with fewer Ukrainians traveling to Russia and more being recruited through social media and online contacts, targeting individuals with pro-Kremlin sentiments.
For Kolesnikov, the future is uncertain. He expressed hope that a prisoner exchange with Russia could offer him a chance at freedom, though he acknowledged that this is beyond his control. "I would like to be exchanged," he sighed. "But that doesn't depend on me."