While the agencies did not identify the suspect by name, Hromadske news agency confirmed through law enforcement sources that the individual is Fedor Khrystenko.

According to ZN.UA, Khrystenko was not extradited but was handed over to the SBU from the United Arab Emirates through what the outlet describes as a rare occurrence made possible by intervention at the highest political level.

ZN.UA reports that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov worked on Khrystenko’s return on orders from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with SBU Deputy Chief and Counterintelligence Department Head Oleksandr Poklad traveling to retrieve him, after which Khrystenko “voluntarily” decided to return to Ukraine.

Suspect began working for Russian before full-scale invasion

Khrystenko was a member of the “Opposition Platform — For Life” party, which Ukraine banned in 2022 for its pro-Russian stance and alleged ties to Moscow.

The party was formed by politicians associated with Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after the 2014 Euromaidan protests that toppled his government following his decision to abandon European integration in favor of closer ties with Moscow.

According to the investigation, Russian intelligence service FSB recruited Khrystenko well before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The SBU alleges he “actively carried out tasks for the Russian intelligence service” during this period.

The charges stem from what investigators describe as an extensive network of connections to Russian operatives and Ukrainian collaborators. The SBU previously linked Khrystenko to Yuriy Ivanushchenko, known as Yura Yenakievsky, whom they identify as an FSB resident and overseer for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

Investigators also describe Khrystenko as a liaison for Armen Sarkisyan, known as Armen Horlivsky, a collaborator who was assassinated in an explosion at a Moscow residential complex in early 2025.

According to the SBU, Sarkisyan was part of fugitive ex-president Viktor Yanukovych’s inner circle and founded the Russian military battalion “Arbat” after the full-scale invasion began that fought against Ukrainian troops in Donetsk Oblast and later in Russia’s Kursk. 

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Russian spy had ties in Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency

The case materials reveal what prosecutors call “an effective mechanism for influencing the leadership” of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU).

Established in 2014, NABU is empowered to investigate corruption cases involving Ukraine’s highest government officials, including the president, prime minister, and cabinet ministers, making Russian influence over the agency strategically significant for Moscow’s intelligence operations.

The SBU alleges Khrystenko maintained close relationships with several NABU officials, including previously detained Ruslan Magamedrasulov and detective unit head Oleksandr Skomarov.

As evidence of Khrystenko’s NABU connections, the SBU cites a 2022 incident when Skomarov’s wife allegedly traveled abroad using a vehicle belonging to Khrystenko’s wife.

Magamedrasulov was among the NABU investigators targeted during a controversial July 2025 security operation that led to dramatic claims of Russian infiltration within Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies. The operation resulted in parliament temporarily placing NABU under prosecutorial control before mass protests forced a reversal.

In July 2025, prosecutors filed charges against Khrystenko under two sections of Ukraine’s Criminal Code: high treason committed by a group under martial law, and abuse of influence. Following his detention, a court ordered Khrystenko held in custody until 21 October.

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