On Friday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the arrest of a Romanian national on allegations of espionage for Ukraine, specifically for reportedly providing details on the positions of Russian air defense systems.

The individual, whose identity has not been revealed, is said to have gathered and relayed information regarding air defense installations in Sochi, a resort city on the Black Sea, to Ukrainian intelligence agencies during the summer of 2024.

In return, it is claimed that Ukrainian intelligence offered to assist the Romanian man in safely exiting Russia and joining the Ukrainian armed forces.

The FSB released footage, which circulated in Russian media, that showed the man being apprehended and questioned. In the recording, he purportedly named his alleged Ukrainian contact and indicated the site of an air defense system in Sochi.

“He was named Volodymyr; he’s a high-ranking officer in Ukrainian intelligence,” the individual stated in English, his face obscured. “I remember the intersection where [the air defense system] was located. Later, I marked it on maps and sent him the details.”

It has not been possible to independently verify the claims made by the FSB, and it remains uncertain whether the man was coerced into speaking.

The Romanian, born in 2002, has been charged with espionage and could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years under Russia’s Criminal Code.