A former British army instructor has been arrested in Kyiv and accused of spying for Russia while posing as an adviser to the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian prosecutors said. The man allegedly passed information to Moscow about foreign military advisers in Ukraine and the coordinates of army training centres.
Ukraine's prosecutor general's office alleged the man arrived in Ukraine in 2024, conducted military training for the army and worked in the border guard before agreeing to collaborate with Moscow. The SBU, Ukraine's state security service, claims the Russian FSB spy bureau gave him instructions on making explosive devices and provided him with a handgun and ammunition. He allegedly attempted to gain access to military command in exchange for $6,000 and faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.
Britain's Foreign Office said it was aware of reports that a British national had been detained in Ukraine and remained in close contact with Ukrainian authorities. The arrest comes amid ongoing hostilities, with Russia launching an overnight attack on the north-eastern city of Sumy, injuring 11 residents including four children. The local governor reported that a railway depot was hit, destroying several carriages and damaging buildings.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones struck a pipeline at a power plant in the Russian city of Oryol, prompting authorities to restrict heat and hot water supplies. Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed that Russia has used the 9M729 cruise missile in combat, firing it 23 times since August. The missile's secret development had previously led the US to abandon a nuclear arms control pact.
In other developments, Japanese utilities JERA and Tohoku Electric Power Co said they could secure alternative LNG supplies if flows from Russia's Sakhalin-2 project are interrupted, amid US pressure to end energy imports from Russia. A new investigation by independent outlet Verstka revealed that Russian commanders are executing or deliberately sending to their deaths soldiers who refuse to fight in Ukraine.
Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine's energy infrastructure, killing seven people including a seven-year-old girl and forcing nationwide power restrictions. Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said its thermal power stations were under attack, calling it a bad blow to efforts to keep power flowing this winter.
