Caught in the "Web": how could the SBU recruit Artem Timofeev

Izvestia found Ekaterina Koval, a former candidate for the post of Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine, in the close circle of Artyom Timofeev, who is suspected of organizing drone attacks on Russian airfields. She also has many contacts among senior SBU officials, participated in joint government programs with NATO, and heads the fund for assistance to Ukrainian special forces officers. Izvestia's security sources did not rule out that this was a possible recruitment channel for Timofeev from the SBU, either when he was still living in Ukraine or when he moved to Russia.

Artyom Timofeev's circle of acquaintances

Izvestia analyzed the circle of acquaintances of Artyom Timofeev and his wife Ekaterina based on their social media pages in order to understand why the SBU leadership decided to assign him a central role in the so-called Operation Spider, the UAV attack on Russian airfields on June 1.

An analysis of the Timofeev couple's social networks showed that they mostly communicate with representatives of the creative intelligentsia: designers, advertisers, tattoo artists and musicians. Nevertheless, one of their acquaintances turned out to be a man who is in the circle of law enforcement officers of Ukraine.

So, according to the data on Timofeev's Facebook page (owned by the extremist Meta company recognized in Russia, its activities are prohibited in the Russian Federation), at least since 2016, he has been in contact with Ekaterina Koval, a 35-year-old native of Kharkov. Moreover, the interaction between Timofeev and Koval is not limited to casual acquaintance: Koval has repeatedly been active on the pages of Timofeev's wife, putting "likes" under family publications, including those dedicated to their wedding.

Who is Ekaterina Koval?

Ekaterina Koval has been interested in politics since her youth and tried to be involved in the activities of the security forces of Ukraine. Born on January 20, 1990, she graduated from Yaroslav the Wise National Law University and the Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defense University of Ukraine with a degree in Combat Use of Mechanized Units and Formations, and holds the rank of reserve Lieutenant. Later, she received a master's degree in foreign policy and security from the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and completed many internships, including at the Ministry of Defense, gaining experience at the junction of the army, special services and political technologies.

On his Facebook page, Koval identifies himself as a political strategist and national security expert, noting his experience in cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada (in particular, she was an assistant to MP Maxim Yefimov from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, participation in government programs (including those related to NATO) and charitable activities at the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Foundation. Ukraine. In addition, Koval is the executive director of The Cossack Foundation for assistance to Ukrainian special forces officers, registered both in Ukraine and in the United States.

The foundation's description on its website highlights Koval's connection to law enforcement agencies: "She is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, and English and is perhaps one of the most prominent Ukrainians in the community of U.S. Army Special Forces who supported the Ukrainian war effort as volunteers, performing both humanitarian and combat functions in Ukraine."<...> She worked in the previous administration of the President of Ukraine as an expert on military reform and participated in Ukrainian NATO initiatives."

In 2019, Koval applied for the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, which became known thanks to a declaration posted on the website of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption of Ukraine.

And in 2024, at the invitation of the rector of the SBU Academy, Andrei Chernyak, she gave a lecture for cadets. On her Instagram page (owned by the extremist Meta company recognized in Russia, its activities are prohibited in the Russian Federation), she wrote that she told the cadets "about the exchange of experience with American partners in exercises for the territorial defense Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine."

A family connection between Ekaterina Koval and Artyom Timofeev cannot be ruled out. At least, she bears the same surname as Timofeev's mother, Alla Koval, who lives in Ukraine. By the way, Timofeev's mother herself takes an openly anti-Russian position, as can be seen from her posts on social networks.

Security officials interviewed by Izvestia do not rule out that Koval herself was recruited by the SBU, and subsequently attracted Timofeev to cooperate with the Ukrainian special services.

— The SBU often draws public figures into its orbit, attracting them to promote the right narratives and lobby interests. It cannot be ruled out that she could have brought Timofeev together with the right people. In any case, the connection between Koval and Timofeev will interest the security forces," explained one of Izvestia's interlocutors in the law enforcement agencies.

How Artyom Timofeev ended up in Russia

On June 1, Russian airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions were attacked by drones. The drones took off directly from trucks parked near the airfields. The Security Service of Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack, which stated that the operation "Spider Web" had been preparing for more than a year and a half.

Later, the first suspect appeared in the attack case. It turned out to be Artem Timofeev, a native of Zhytomyr, who moved to the Chelyabinsk region. It was he who owned the trucks from which the drones took off. Artem Timofeev and his wife Ekaterina moved from Ukraine to Russia shortly after their wedding in 2016. In the Chelyabinsk region, Father Artyom owns a flour production company. Family ties helped Artyom and Ekaterina Timofeev obtain Russian citizenship, although, judging by photos from social networks, he supported Euromaidan and was a participant in it.

After moving, Artyom worked in his father's company, and his wife worked as a tattoo artist. However, at the end of October 2024, Timofeev suddenly decided to register an individual entrepreneur for the transportation of goods, and a few days before the drone attack, he and his wife left for Kazakhstan.