Ukrainian man jailed for treason during war
Oleg Kolesnikov, a Ukrainian citizen whose family has deep ties to the world of espionage, was sentenced to life imprisonment for treason.
His father served as a Soviet agent in Cuba during the Cold War, and a cousin works for Russian security services. This family history made him a prime target for recruitment by Russian intelligence during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"I believed the war would be swift, decisive, and free of chaos. I was mistaken," said Kolesnikov, now serving a life sentence for treason. An adherent of the "Russian World" ideology, promoted by Vladimir Putin, Kolesnikov agreed to provide intelligence on military locations and troop movements in his hometown. He even reported the impact points of Russian missile strikes. However, when he witnessed the civilian casualties and the devastating impact of the war on his beloved Ukraine, he was consumed by regret.
"I did not do this for financial gain," he said in an interview with Reuters. But the war had a devastating impact on his personal life as well. His wife left him after his arrest, taking their 11-year-old child with her.
His story came to light when the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) discovered that his car had been observed at multiple locations impacted by Russian attacks. Agents tracked his movements, intercepted his communications, and uncovered evidence that he and a friend were collecting intelligence for the Russians. In a closed-door trial, Kolesnikov entered a partial guilty plea, but the court found him guilty of intentional actions that aided Russia.
"I would like to be exchanged," he says with a faint glimmer of hope, referring to the possibility of a prisoner exchange. "But that's not up to me."
Kolesnikov's case is just one of thousands of treason cases investigated by Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. While Russian spies have been infiltrating Ukraine for years, the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) continues to dismantle entire networks of informants. Kolesnikov's story serves as a stark reminder: war changes everything, and the consequences of misplaced loyalty can be severe.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
