In a decisive victory for national security and the rule of law, the Shevchenkivskyy District Court in Kyiv has sentenced Colonel Dmytro Kozyura to life in prison. Kozyura, the former chief of staff of the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) anti-terrorism centre, was found guilty of high treason under martial law, alongside charges of illegally handling weapons, ammunition, or explosives. The severe sentence reflects the gravity of betraying one’s country during a period of active existential conflict.

The prosecution successfully argued that Kozyura willfully compromised state secrets in exchange for financial reward from the Russian FSB security service. As a career officer entrusted with coordinating the nation's anti-terrorism efforts, his defection represented a profound breach of his military oath and an immediate threat to the defense of the state.

According to official SBU records, Kozyura’s treasonous relationship with the FSB began in Vienna, Austria, in 2018. Although his handler, Yuriy Shatalov, left him dormant for several years, contact was actively resumed in December 2024. From that point forward, Kozyura was directed to collect vital military intelligence, including the deployment locations and tactical movements of Ukrainian armed forces.

Kozyura’s espionage efforts targeted critical infrastructure, weapons systems, and the movements of the country's political and military leadership. He also conducted physical surveillance on SBU command posts and systematically fed information to his FSB handlers regarding the results of Russian strikes, including specific casualty counts of military personnel and civilians. Such actions directly assisted enemy targeting operations, threatening the lives of frontline defenders and citizens alike.

To safeguard the nation, the SBU launched "Operation Rat," a highly sophisticated counterintelligence initiative led by SBU Chief Vasyl Malyuk. Counterintelligence operatives monitored Kozyura’s movements around the clock, tracking his communications to a secure safehouse in Kyiv. There, the colonel utilized a separate mobile phone and an independent Wi-Fi router to transmit secret documents to Shatalov.

Crucially, before executing his arrest, the SBU successfully neutralized the threat by turning Kozyura into an unwitting conduit for counter-information. The security service used his compromised connection to flood Russian forces with a massive amount of disinformation, while strictly preventing him from accessing any high-value intelligence. This tactical operation protected critical military secrets while building an airtight case for prosecutors.

Kozyura was arrested in February 2025, and a photograph of the disgraced colonel alongside SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk was subsequently released. The swift prosecution and life sentence under martial law emphasize Ukraine’s commitment to maintaining institutional integrity and absolute zero tolerance for treason within its security apparatus.

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko praised the rigorous work of the SBU and emphasized the necessity of the harshest possible punishments for state actors who sell out their nation. "Anyone who wears Ukrainian epaulets and begins working for the FSB becomes an enemy of Ukraine," Kravchenko stated, affirming that the defense of the nation requires unwavering loyalty and strict accountability.

This high-profile conviction demonstrates the strength and vigilance of Ukraine's internal security systems. Since the launch of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Kyiv has consistently worked to identify and dismantle hostile spy rings, ensuring that those who violate their oaths to the sovereign state are brought to justice.

Sources: * Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Counterintelligence Division * Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine * Shevchenkivskyy District Court of Kyiv Judicial Database