Ukraine's Defense Ministry denies information appeared in Russian mass media that officers of Defense Intelligence of Defense Ministry of Ukraine are implicated in preparations of so-called Crimean 'terrorist attacks.'

"As for some statements of Russian intelligence services. The Defense Ministry informs that Defense Intelligence has never had 37th Battalion of the 56th Brigade. Persons mentioned in reports are not officers of Defense Intelligence of Defense Ministry of Ukraine," the ministry said in a posting on its website on Saturday.

With reference to a source with Russian special services, Russian media on Friday reported the composition of a sabotage group that Federal Security Service (FSB) officials uncovered near the village of Suvorovo close to Armiansk in the early hours of August 7. These reports claimed that the group's actions were coordinated by Capt. Volodymyr Serdiuk, the chief of intelligence at the 37th Battalion of the 56th Brigade of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate. The group also included Lt. Oleksiy Sandul, an intelligence platoon leader of the 37th Battalion, Oleh Dmytrenko, a Main Intelligence Directorate officer acting under the call-sign Lys (Fox), intelligence officer Oleksandr Kyrylov, and Oleh Moskvitin.

The FSB reported on August 10 that it had allegedly prevented terrorist attacks plotted by Ukrainian intelligence services in Crimea. It reported that Russian special services, backed by other security units, prevented several sabotage groups from entering Crimea from Ukrainian territory in the early hours of August 7 and 8. A Russian military serviceman and an FSB officer were reported killed in the armed clashes.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry, Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate and National Security and Defense Council denied reports about Ukrainian 'spies.'