Scottish man jailed in Ukraine after admitting spying for Russia

A Scottish man has been jailed in Ukraine for more than eight years after admitting to spying for Russia while working as a military instructor, according to prosecutors.

Ross David Cutmore, from Dunfermline in Fife, was found to have shared information about Ukrainian military activity in exchange for payment after being recruited by Russian intelligence contacts, the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said, News.Az reports, citing Sky News.

Prosecutors said Cutmore acted “out of selfish motives” and intended to pass information to a foreign state. He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison following a plea deal at the Kyiv district court of Odesa on 30 April.

According to court documents, Cutmore entered Ukraine in January 2024 and worked as a military instructor in Mykolaiv before relocating to Odesa later that year. There, he established contact with a Russian intelligence-linked individual and began transmitting military information in exchange for money.

Authorities said he later provided coordinates of Ukrainian units, photographs of training areas, and other sensitive details that could identify service personnel. He was also accused of collecting information about military facilities in Odesa and discussing possible sabotage-related activity.

Investigators from Ukraine’s security service (SBU) said the information he transmitted was discovered during a probe in May 2025. He was detained in October 2025, and prosecutors formally submitted charges in March 2026.

Officials also said Cutmore possessed an illegally held Makarov pistol and ammunition. One of the payments he allegedly received for intelligence tasks amounted to around $6,000.

A UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said consular assistance is being provided and that British authorities remain in contact with Ukrainian officials.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova