The Russian security services (FSB) announced on Monday the arrest of a Russian citizen, a former US consular officer in the country, accused of transmitting information to Washington about the war in Ukraine.
The FSB states in a statement that Robert Chonov, “a former employee of the US Consulate General in Vladivostok”, has transmitted since September 2022 “information about the conduct of the special military operation [na Ucrânia]mobilization [militar] in Russian regions”, as well as data on “problematic issues” in Russia.
According to the services, the Russian citizen carried out the alleged activities “in exchange for material remuneration” and at the request of “employees of the political department of the US embassy in Moscow.”
This “informant” from Washington, according to the FSB, is accused of “confidential collaboration with a foreign government”, a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison.
Russia’s Interfax news agency said the FSB had released a video in which the suspect made a confession.
Russian authorities, especially since the start of the offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, have regularly arrested people accused of working for kyiv or carrying out espionage activities on behalf of Western governments.
Source: TSF
