MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) have detained two residents of Crimea who were transferring data about critical infrastructure and military equipment on the peninsula to the Security Service of Ukraine via the Telegram messenger, the FSB Public Relations Center reported.

"The Federal Security Service has suppressed unlawful activities by two Russian citizens, born in 1977 and 1993, on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. Acting in the interests of Ukrainian intelligence agencies, they photographed and recorded video of critical infrastructure sites and military equipment in the region, specifying their coordinates and the categories of personnel stationed at these facilities," the FSB stated.

It has been established that the detainees were recruited by Ukrainian intelligence through Telegram.

The Crimean residents sent the materials obtained under the direction of their handlers to a Ukrainian Telegram bot. "The detainees have confessed," the FSB noted.

The investigative department of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol has opened criminal cases under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code (state treason). The suspects have been taken into custody and face up to 20 years in prison. Operational and investigative measures are ongoing.

The FSB once again emphasized that Ukrainian intelligence agencies continue to use online channels to search for people to commit terrorist attacks and sabotage. Russian citizens were urged to remain vigilant, not to communicate with malicious actors on the internet and, if possible, refrain from responding to unknown contacts on Telegram and WhatsApp.