(Bloomberg) -- A manager at Ukraine’s electricity grid operator faces as long as eight years in prison after he was detained on suspicion of sharing classified information and justifying Russian attacks.
The Ukrenergo employee, who was responsible for security of critical facilities, disclosed details about the results of Russian strikes against the energy system to his friends over the phone, the Ukrainian Security Service, known as the SBU, said in a website statement on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian authorities expect Russia to intensify attacks on energy facilities as the country heads into what Ukrainians fear will be a winter with limited heating. Moscow’s air attacks have damaged almost every thermal and hydro power plant, causing blackouts across the country.
Ukraine’s supporters have provided millions of dollars to repair facilities and bolster their defenses. With energy infrastructure jeopardized, Ukrenergo has come under scrutiny — in September the state-owned company dismissed its chief amid accusations that it could have done more to safeguard electricity supplies.
The manager at Ukrenergo, who was detained at his home in Kyiv, also tried to justify attacks on civilian infrastructure, praised the regime in Moscow and cast doubt on Ukraine’s sovereignty, the SBU said in the statement, without identifying the employee.
The Ukrenergo press service didn’t respond to a call for comment after working hours.
--With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska.
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