Former US embassy employee arrested for working undercover for foreigners

The court arrested Robert Shonov, a former employee of the American Embassy in Russia. The FSB accused him of secretly collaborating with a foreign state, TASS reports, citing law enforcement agencies.

According to the agency’s source, Shonov was detained in Vladivostok. FSB officers interrogated him, and then he was charged under Article 75.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Confidential cooperation with a foreign state, international organization or foreign organization”). The court chose house arrest as a measure of restraint for Shonova.

Shonov, 62, lived in Vladivostok and worked at the US consulate, notes Caution News. According to the Telegram channel, he is now in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. Arrested was transported to Moscow and placed in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center for investigative activities, explains TASS.

On the website of the court in Lefortovo, a card was published regarding the extension of the detention of Shonov RR, held under Art. 275 sec. 1, the Russian BBC service noted. This is what the court in Lefortovo told TASS FSB investigators they are asking for an extension of Shonov’s detention for three months. The date of the court hearing has not yet been set.

At the end of March, the Frunze District Court in Vladivostok announced the arrest “citizen X.”, who was suspected under Art. 275 sec. The press service of the court noted that H. does not support the war unleashed by Russia with Ukraine and entered into secret correspondence with US representatives. He allegedly provided them with “assistance in activities deliberately directed against the security of Russia.”

The court did not reveal the name of the suspect, he was detained until May 22. The Russian BBC service concluded that it could be Robert Shonov, since he worked at the US embassy in Vladivostok, and the date of the extension of his preventive measure in the Lefortovo court coincides with the end of Kh.

The article on which Shonov was arrested appeared in the Russian Criminal Code in July last year. The maximum penalty for this is 8 years in prison. In order to prosecute the investigation, it is necessary to prove that the suspect acted in the interest of the secret services of a given state. For this, a certificate from an FSB officer is enough, human rights defenders note. In order to avoid a penalty under the article, it is necessary to notify the authorities in advance of affiliation with a foreign organization or state.