Vitaly Zvyagnitsev, a 30-year-old Russian citizen who arrived in Israel with a foreign worker permit, was arrested in early December 2025 on suspicion of maintaining contact with Iranian operatives.
A Russian citizen was arrested for sending pictures of ports, ships, and infrastructure in Israel to Iranian intelligence elements, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and MALMAB (Director of Security of the Defense Establishment) announced on Friday.
Vitaly Zvyagnitsev, a 30-year-old Russian citizen who arrived in Israel with a foreign worker permit, was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of committing security offenses under the direction of Iranian intelligence elements.
According to the investigation, Zvyagnitsev established contact with an Iranian intelligence operator this past October who went by the name “Roman” and claimed to be a fellow Russian citizen living in Moscow.
“The suspect carried out a variety of photography missions of infrastructure and ships in ports throughout the country, and more. In exchange for these tasks, he received money through digital means,” the Shin Bet statement said.
The investigation also discovered that Zvyagnitsev understood that his contact intended to use the supplied photographs to harm the State of Israel, but “he continued to carry out additional tasks he received from his operator, this for financial reasons.”
According to Army Radio, Zvyagnitsev managed to take dozens of videos of extremely sensitive installations in Israel, operating undetected by the Israeli security establishment for an extended period.
In one instance, the police detained the Russian national while filming in the Herzliya Marina, after which he was released on the condition that he deleted the videos.
However, he continued spying for Iran, the report said.
Among the places he filmed and photographed were the Haifa Port and oil refineries, sensitive military vessels of the Israeli and US navies in the Eilat Port, and the Ashdod Port.
He was finally caught while attempting to film the Ramat David Air Force Base and was unable to send the footage to his Iranian handler.
Bat Yam mayor warns residents against Iranian intelligence recruitment attempts
Earlier this month, Bat Yam Mayor Tzvika Brot warned the city’s residents not to cooperate with Iranian handlers who are trying to recruit them as agents.
The Bat Yam Municipality has been in contact with security agencies, including the Shin Bet, regarding the “possibility that our residents might fall into the net of Iranian intelligence,” Brot said.
The residents may “cooperate” with Iranian handlers, “following all the messages they are sending to our phones,” Brot commented. “We know that there are also residents of Bat Yam who, these very days, are maintaining such contacts.”
These residents are “endangering not only Israel’s security but also their personal future” by being in contact with Iranian handlers, the mayor said.