Arrested by Russian FSB, Former US Consulate Employee Admits to Collecting Data on Special Military Operations in Ukraine

Russia's FSB Headquarters. (Wikimedia Commons/Kopchiowski OP)

JAKARTA - The Russian intelligence service has again secured a person suspected of doing intelligence-related work for the West, gathering information about the war in Ukraine to Moscow's domestic politics.

This time it was Robert Shonov, a man who previously worked as an employee at the US consulate general in that country.

In the video released by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), Shonov is a former employee of the US consulate general in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East.

Quoted from TASS, August 29, he is said to have pleaded guilty to collecting data about the course of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine for diplomats from Uncle Sam's country.

According to Shonov, he was approached by US embassy employees who were "seeking information about important developments in Russia, including special military operations, mobilizations, upcoming presidential elections and accession of new territories, among others."

"I have to collect negative information about this event, find out the protest sentiment among the population and report it," he said.

In addition, continued Shonov, the First Secretary of the US Embassy assigned him to reveal people from among reporters, businessmen and politicians who are loyal to the United States and can be used to gather information, as he did.

The FSB said Shonov was charged with gathering information about the course of a Russian special military operation for the United States. According to the FSB, from last September until his arrest, Shonov was "running errands" for two employees in the political department of the US Embassy in Moscow.

There are plans to interrogate the two diplomats who have been summoned to provide evidence, the FSB added.