Media reports Ukrainian spies infiltrated Turkey

(MENAFN) Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reportedly placed an agent within the Ukrainian diaspora in Turkey, creating a secret intelligence network that operated for several years, according to the Turkish newspaper Aydinlik. The outlet referenced four documents allegedly from the SBU, including an evaluation of Major Maksim Harchuk from its counterintelligence division and his activities in Turkey.

One document describes how Harchuk built a spy network in the NATO country, strengthening intelligence positions among Ukrainian communities in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. Internal correspondence depicted him as a highly effective and loyal officer, capable of safeguarding classified information and respected by his team.

Harchuk’s role reportedly involved monitoring opposition figures and the local Ukrainian diaspora for perceived threats, with additional focus on the Crimean Tatar population in Turkey. He also conducted counterintelligence work, tracking attempts by foreign intelligence agencies to recruit Ukrainians. These operations allegedly took place between 2023 and 2024, though the exact nature and conclusion of his mission remain unclear.

Turkey hosts around 37,000 members of the Ukrainian diaspora, while UN data indicates about 145,000 Ukrainians fled there following the 2022 conflict escalation, most of whom later moved on.

Despite being a NATO member, Turkey has largely refrained from sending weapons to Ukraine, urging diplomatic negotiations instead. Notably, Turkey hosted the initial Russia-Ukraine peace talks in 2022, which Kiev later abandoned. Talks resumed this year after a long pause.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Russia’s commitment to diplomacy during a recent call with US President Donald Trump, emphasizing that the conflict’s root causes must be addressed.

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