Russia detained Monday a U.S. citizen on suspicion of espionage alleging he was caught during a spying operation. U.S. State Department is learned to have been notified by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consular access has been requested.
U.S. State Department spokesperson said, “Russia’s obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access.”
Lately Russian citizen Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a secret foreign agent and she may face a jail term of up to six months before getting deported to Russia.
In recent months relations between the two countries deteriorated. Washington accuses Moscow of interfering the presidential election in 2016. Sanctions were imposed on Russian individuals and entities.
Trump also ordered expulsion of sixty Russian officials from U.S. following former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter was poisoned in England by Russians. Russian consulate in Seattle was also closed.
Russia retaliated by doing the same. Sixty American diplomats were expelled and U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg was closed.
Russian foreign ministry tweeted, “Diplomacy is based on reciprocity.”
Skripal was released in 2010 in Vienna as part of a large spy swap. She and three others convicted of spying was exchanged for 10 people accused of being foreign agents.
According to a report published in the Washington Post, Russians have slashed tires of diplomats, followed their children to school and entered their homes at night.
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