Residents of the Tomsk region were detained in a state treason case, according to RIA Tomsk, citing the regional FSB directorate. The security service did not disclose the identities of those detained or their exact number.
Investigators allege that the suspects collected information about Russian servicemen, including those killed in the war in Ukraine. The regional FSB also released a video showing the detentions and materials from the case.
Judging by screenshots of correspondence shown in the video, the заказчик offered 20,000 rubles for 100 photographs and up to 100,000 rubles for 400 images. The footage also includes a message dated April 18 with a receipt for a transfer of 25,000 rubles.
The detainees are accused of treason “in the form of espionage”, the video says. Investigators believe the photographs and related information were gathered in the interests of Ukrainian intelligence services.
The outlet Astra had earlier noted that in the Sverdlovsk region, the FSB moved to tighten control over cemeteries because graves might be photographed. Before that, a young woman had been detained there; security officials claimed she sent photos to a “handler” in Ukraine for 80 rubles each.
Later, security forces detained another young woman in Yekaterinburg who was photographing graves. At the time, the channel Antiterror Ural reported that she, too, could face a treason charge.
According to the Russian authorities’ version, such photographs may be used to create deepfakes: relatives of the dead are allegedly told that their loved one is alive and being held captive in Ukraine, after which money is demanded for that person’s return.