Israel's Shin Bet and Erazim police station in the MLA arrested Vitaly Zbyagnitsev, a 30-year-old Russian citizen and foreign worker, in early December 2025 on suspicion of security offenses for Iranian intelligence. From October 2025, he photographed infrastructure and ships in Israeli ports under orders from an Iranian agent named 'Roman,' according to a report by security correspondent Yossi Melman on X. The investigation revealed Zbyagnitsev began contact with 'Roman,' who claimed to reside in Russia, and conducted missions disguised as tourism. He received payments through digital means for the tasks, as detailed in Melman's post citing Shin Bet and police operations. The involvement of MLAV in the probe indicates Zbyagnitsev targeted defense industries and strategic facilities. This arrest highlights rising Iranian espionage activities in Israel, per the combined operation announced in early December 2025.
