The Kyiv Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal against the arrest of Belarusian national Inna Kardash, who is suspected of espionage in favour of the KGB. During the hearing, it emerged that Kardash had allegedly attempted to recruit her husband.
The court hearing took place on February 16. Kardash’s defence argued that she should be released, saying the prosecution had failed to substantiate the risks of her remaining at large, Suspilne reported.
Kardash took part in the hearing via video link from a pre-trial detention centre. She stated that she did not intend to go into hiding and noted that there were no visas in her foreign passport that would allow her to leave.
The prosecutor insisted on keeping her in custody, stating that Kardash has no stable ties to Ukraine. She has no children in the country and only a husband, whom she also allegedly tried to recruit.
The prosecutor also said that the Ukrainian side is taking steps toward a possible exchange of Kardash. According to him, communication with the Belarusian side is currently under way.
The court ultimately rejected the appeal.
Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate reported Kardash’s detention on January 27. The Security Service said she had been cooperating with the KGB since 2015. She previously worked for the Medvedchuk-owned television channel “112” and at Interfax-Ukraine.
In 2020, Belarusian special services allegedly sent Kardash to work in Ukraine. Her assignment included collecting information about Belarusians and Russians assisting Ukraine. She was also tasked with establishing contacts with employees of the Chinese embassy in Ukraine in order to gather intelligence on the activities of Chinese diplomats there.
In 2025, she took a job at the Coordination Centre of the Main Intelligence Directorate for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, where she collected internal information by photographing documents and recording staff conversations. She allegedly transmitted this data to Belarus. As previously reported by the Security Service of Ukraine, controlled information was circulated around Kardash.
Kardash remains in custody at a pre-trial detention centre until March 20.
