Russia’s Odesa Drone Strike Plan Exposed: Locals Mapped Troops on Google - Then Got Caught
Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) says it disrupted a planned Russian drone attack in Odesa that was intended to strike Ukrainian troops, after Russian military intelligence allegedly recruited local residents to help execute the operation.
According to the SSU, Ukrainian counterintelligence detained two suspected agents of Russia’s GRU just before the planned drone strike could be carried out. Investigators say the men had already obtained both the explosive payload and an approved target—a location connected to a local unit of Ukraine’s Defense Forces—signed off by a Russian handler.
Recruitment via Telegram and a drone supplied by occupiers
The SSU reported that one of the detainees is a 49-year-old local businessman who was allegedly recruited through Telegram. Authorities say he was initially provided with a drone by the Russians and later retrieved 2 kilograms of plastic explosive (plastid) along with components for a homemade explosive device from a hidden cache.
Investigators say he used those materials to prepare the drone for an attack—turning it from a reconnaissance tool into a weapon.
Mapping troop concentrations and sending coordinates to a handler
The SSU says the businessman then brought in a 47-year-old acquaintance, who helped identify areas where Ukrainian troops were concentrated. Those locations were reportedly marked on Google Maps and sent back to the Russian handler.
After the target was confirmed, the two men allegedly moved into the final phase: preparing the airstrike. The SSU says that was the moment counterintelligence intervened and detained them.
Weapons and explosives allegedly seized
During searches, the SSU reported finding:
- a drone equipped with explosives
- an AK-47
- two Makarov pistols with ammunition
- an F-1 hand grenade
- and other weapons
Ukrainian authorities say the suspects have been formally notified they are being investigated for treason. If convicted, they face life imprisonment and confiscation of assets, according to the SSU.
Part of a broader counterintelligence push
The SSU framed the arrests as part of a wider effort to prevent Russian-directed operations inside Ukraine. It noted that in December, SSU counterintelligence also prevented a contract killingtargeting an officer from the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
