MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th October, 2018) The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has been trying to recruit relatives of Russian servicemen and law enforcement officials living in Ukraine in order to make them collect sensitive information in Russia, a Russian law enforcement source told Sputnik on Saturday.
"The attempts by the Ukrainian Security Service to recruit relatives of employees of Russian law enforcement agencies have become more often. The relatives of wives of servicemen and law enforcement officials are also subject to such activities. [These people] are subject to pressure [by the Ukrainian security services] aimed at receiving sensitive information and personal details about our law enforcement officials," the source said.
Such attempts started after Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014, and have increased over the past 12 to 24 months, according to the source.
The relations between Moscow and Kiev deteriorated after the eruption of a military conflict in the Ukrainian eastern Donbas region and Crimea's reunification with Russia as a result of a referendum in 2014. Kiev has been accusing Moscow of meddling in Ukraine's affairs and did not recognize the results of the vote. Russia has denied the accusations of interference, saying it was not a side to the Ukrainian conflict, and maintained that the Crimea referendum was carried out in line with international legal norms.
