3 hours ago
1
A erstwhile worker of the U.S. consulate successful the Far East metropolis of Vladivostok has been sentenced to 4 years and 10 months in situation for "secret collaboration with a overseas state," Russian authorities media reported Friday.
Robert Shonov, a Russian citizen, had worked for much than 25 years astatine the U.S. consulate. He was forced to discontinue successful 2021 when Russian authorities imposed restrictions connected section unit moving for overseas missions.
Afterward, Shonov worked arsenic a backstage contractor for the U.S. Embassy successful Moscow compiling property accounts from publically accessible Russian media, according to the U.S. State Department.
He was arrested successful aboriginal 2023 connected suspicion of passing concealed accusation astir Russia's warfare successful Ukraine to the United States successful speech for money. However, Russian instrumentality enforcement authorities officially announced his apprehension lone successful September of that year.
According to a ruling published connected the Primorye portion tribunal website, 400,000 rubles ($4,103) and an physics instrumentality linked to Shonov's backstage contractor enactment were seized.
In September 2023, Moscow expelled U.S. Embassy employees Jeff Sillin and David Bernstein, whom it accused of acting arsenic liaisons for Shonov.
Russian-U.S. relations person sharply deteriorated since President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.
Washington was forced to suspend its 2 remaining consulates successful Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg earlier the war due to Russian-imposed staffing rules.
AFP contributed reporting.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times arsenic an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our enactment and putting our unit astatine hazard of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling arsenic a "foreign agent."
These actions are nonstop attempts to soundlessness autarkic journalism successful Russia. The authorities assertion our enactment "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We spot things differently: we strive to supply accurate, unbiased reporting connected Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, garbage to beryllium silenced. But to proceed our work, we request your help.
Your support, nary substance however small, makes a satellite of difference. If you can, delight enactment america monthly starting from conscionable $2. It's speedy to acceptable up, and each publication makes a important impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, autarkic journalism successful the look of repression. Thank you for lasting with us.
Continue
Not acceptable to enactment today?
Remind maine later.
.png "indianexpress.")
.png "khaleejtimes")
.png "arabnews")
.png "gulfnews"){kind=logo}
English (US) · 
Hindi (IN) ·