British man arrested in Ukraine accused of spying for Russia
A British man has been arrested by Ukrainian security services and accused of spying for Russia.
Kyiv prosecutors said the unnamed man passed information to Russian intelligence services while working as a military instructor.
They said the Briton arrived in Ukraine in January 2024 and “conducted training sessions for military personnel in Mykolaiv”, a town close to the front line in the south of the country. He then worked for Ukrainian border units, they added.
The man is being held without bail pending a preliminary hearing. Ukrainian security services estimate he faces up to 12 years in prison.
The British Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports and was “in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities.”
In a statement, the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office said the Briton stopped working as an instructor in September 2024 and moved to Odessa where he “established contact with a representative of the Russian special services and agreed to provide military information in exchange for money.”
He said there was evidence showing the Briton transmitted in May 2025 the location of Ukrainian units, photographs of training areas and information on military personnel that could lead to their identification.
The man is also accused of collecting information about Odessa facilities, trying to gain access to military units and even discussing “the possibility of using explosive devices.” For one of these tasks, prosecutors say he received $6,000 (£5,148).
In a separate statement, Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, said the man was “preparing to carry out terrorist attacks.”
He said he had “professional shooting and tactical training skills” and had announced his willingness to spy on “various pro-Kremlin internet groups.”
The SBU said Russian spies sent the Briton instructions on how to make an improvised explosive device as well as the location of a weapons cache from which he had recovered a pistol and two loaded magazines.
He added that the man was arrested at his “temporary residence” in kyiv.
Accused Briton (far left) is being held without bail while under investigation [Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office]
The man appeared in court this week and was held without bail while a preliminary investigation was conducted by the SBU with support from counterintelligence units.
Prosecutors released photos showing him in court with his face blurred to prevent identification.
