MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. The FSB has detained two Sevastopol residents recruited by Ukraine’s intelligence to spot military facilities, the FSB’s Public Relations Center told TASS.

"Illegal activities by two Russian nationals who are suspected of cooperating with foreign special services as spotters have been foiled," the center said. According to the FSB, two Sevastopol residents born in 1979 and 1995 initiated contact with the Ukrainian special services in order to hand over data on the location of Russia’s Defense Ministry’s facilities for remuneration. The leakage of this information abroad could have damaged the country’s defensive ability.

"A man born in 1979 was performing reconnaissance tasks for the Security Service of Ukraine by collecting data on the location of military facilities and transmitting this information via e-mail in compliance with measures of conspiracy," the FSB’s press service said, adding that "the second suspect confirmed his intention to cooperate in secret with the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine in a phone conversation but did not manage to transmit data due to circumstances beyond his control."

The FSB’s Investigative Department has opened criminal cases under Article 275 (High treason) and Article 275.1 (Confidential cooperation with a foreign country) of the Russian Criminal Code. The first charge provides for up to 20 years of incarceration while the second count carries up to eight years in jail. The suspects will be remanded in pre-trial custody for two months.