A former U.S. consulate employee and Russian national, Robert Shonov, was arrested by Russian security forces on Monday, charged with espionage. This development has drawn swift condemnation from the State Department.
State Department Denounces Allegations as Baseless
According to the state-run news agency TASS, Shonov had worked for the U.S. Consulate General in Vladivostok for over 25 years. However, the report did not provide details on what led to the charges against him. The State Department wasted no time in denouncing the allegations as “wholly without merit.”
State Department Highlights Shonov’s Innocuous Role
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller clarified that at the time of his arrest, Shonov’s responsibilities were limited to compiling media summaries of press items from publicly available Russian media sources. The Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Concerns Mount Over Treatment of Former U.S. Mission Staff
Shonov was transferred to Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison for further interrogation and faces a potential sentence of up to 8 years. It is worth noting that Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist for the Wall Street Journal, is also held in the same prison, according to TASS. Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson at the State Department, informed reporters that the Russian government did not directly inform the U.S. about Shonov’s arrest due to his non-American citizenship.
Repressive Laws Used Against Russian Citizens
Following the Russian government’s directive to terminate the employment of all local staff in April 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow sought external services, including the company where Shonov was employed. Miller emphasized that Shonov’s targeting under the “confidential cooperation” statute exemplifies Russia’s increasing use of repressive laws against its own citizens.
Concerns for Other Former U.S. Mission Staff
The State Department expressed concern that additional former locally employed staff of the U.S. mission in Russia may face similar charges and arrests. Patel stated that the Russian government’s scrutiny of staff, including former staff, is expected, urging caution in engaging with them.
White House Efforts to Secure Release of Detained Individuals
The White House has been actively working to secure the release of Evan Gershkovich, the journalist who was arrested on spying allegations in March. The Wall Street Journal has denied the charges against him. Additionally, the Biden administration is striving to bring Paul Whelan, a businessman and former Marine imprisoned by Russia on suspicion of spying, back to the United States, a claim both Whelan and the U.S. government refute.
These recent developments underscore the strained relations between the United States and Russia, as concerns grow over the treatment of American citizens and former U.S. mission staff in Russian custody. The State Department continues to condemn the arrests, labeling them baseless and highlighting Russia’s use of repressive laws against its own citizens. The international community awaits further updates on the efforts to secure the release of those detained.
Source: ©Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images ; nbcnews
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