Lev Stupnikov served as chief signals officer in Russia’s 36th Motor Rifle Brigade. Photo credit: X account @ddfmarketing1
A Russian army lieutenant secretly supplied Ukraine with troop positions, military plans and other sensitive information, helping Kyiv kill more than 300 Russian soldiers.Lev Stupnikov, who served as chief signals officer in Russia’s 36th Motor Rifle Brigade, used his access to military communications and operational details to help Ukrainian forces identify targets and launch deadly strikes against his own unit.Stupnikov’s first major operation came in February 2024, when Russian soldiers and senior officers gathered for a training exercise near the front line in eastern Ukraine.He photographed the troops, estimated their numbers and sent the exact coordinates of the field to his Ukrainian handler. After being warned to leave the area, he moved away as Ukrainian forces launched a barrage of missiles.His phone buzzed. “Were there explosions? Send a photo.”“There’s just meat,” he answered, according to Wall Street Journal.Stupnikov later counted and informed Ukraine handlers that 68 Russian soldiers had been killed and 60 wounded. Ten of the dead were officers, including Colonel Gusein Musayev, commander of the 36th Motor Rifle Brigade.The strike marked the beginning of a series of attacks aided by Stupnikov’s intelligence. His position as the battalion’s chief signals officer gave him access to troop movements, commanders’ communications, surveillance feeds and battle plans.
He passed on radio frequencies, locations of Russian units and details of planned operations, helping Ukrainian forces work out where troops were deployed and when they intended to advance.
Stupnikov sabotaged military equipment
He also undermined his brigade from within. He disabled cameras monitoring Ukrainian territory and tampered with a battery pack connected to a drone controller, causing it to overheat and malfunction during a mission.His information helped Ukraine launch further attacks. In March 2024, Ukrainian forces killed several Russian officers at a brigade gathering identified by Stupnikov.
In May, they struck the basement of a former hotel where two Russian assault units were staying, killing 20 soldiers, including a captain. Other intelligence led to an attack on a brigade command post during a meeting of senior officers.The repeated losses raised suspicions among Russian commanders. Stupnikov’s own commander complained that operations were failing and wondered whether a spy had infiltrated the ranks.Stupnikov feared he would soon be exposed after the danger became clear as he accidentally sent his Ukrainian contact a map screenshot showing the location of his own basement. A subsequent strike hit the building, but he survived.
His escape across the front line
In July 2024, Stupnikov received instructions from his Ukrainian contacts to leave his weapons behind and reach an agreed location near the village of Mykilske.Guided by a Ukrainian drone, he crossed no-man’s-land, navigating destroyed vehicles, craters and suspected mines.
Ukrainian troops tracked his progress through thermal camera footage and waited for him on the other side.When challenged for the agreed password, he replied, “Peanut shop.”He was searched, blindfolded and taken to safety. Before leaving, he handed Ukrainian forces a smartphone containing access codes to several communication channels, allowing them to continue accessing live feeds from Russian drones and surveillance cameras.Stupnikov later joined the Russian Volunteer Corps, a Ukrainian army unit made up of Russians opposed to Vladimir Putin’s rule. He is now fighting against the Russian forces he once served.