Russia's FSB had stopped the unlawful activities of an informant of the US Embassy in Moscow, Russian citizen Robert Shonov, adding that he was charged with committing a crime under article 275.1 of the criminal code of Russia "Cooperation on a confidential basis with a foreign state," the statement of the organization read.
Shonov faces charges related to alleged confidential collaboration with a foreign state or organization aimed at undermining Russia's national security, according to the Moscow's Lefortovo court that prolonged his arrest for three more months in May.
Since September 2022 until the arrest in March 2023, Shonov had been carrying out tasks of the employees of the political department of the US Embassy in Moscow, Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein for material reward, the statement read.
In particular, he was instructed to "collect information on the progress of the special military operation, mobilization processes in the regions of Russia, on problematic moments and assess their influence on the protest activity of the population on the eve of the presidential elections in Russia in 2024."
The two US diplomats are to be interrogated in the case of informant Shonov, the FSB said, adding that in this regard, corresponding subpoenas have been sent to the embassy in Moscow.
Article 275.1 - "Cooperation on a confidential basis with a foreign state" - of the criminal code of Russia was introduced last year. It is applied if the offense does not constitute a crime under articles on state treason. Shonov may face a sentence of up to eight years in prison under this article.
In May, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the US condemned the arrest of Shonov, adding that allegations against him were "wholly without merit."