Russia sentences former US consulate employee to nearly five years in prison for ‘collaboration with a foreign state’ – Meduza

A Russian court sentenced a former employee of the US consulate in Vladivostok to four years and 10 months in prison on charges of “secret cooperation with a foreign state”.

State investigators allege that Robert Shonov, a Russian citizen, collected information on the course of the war in Ukraine and mobilization efforts in Russia’s regions, as well as “problem issues and their impact on public protest activities ahead of the presidential election.” ” Russian officials claim that Shonov acted on the orders of Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein, two officials from the US Embassy in Moscow.

In a video released by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) following his arrest, Shonov appears to indicate that US Embassy staff tasked him with gathering “negative” information and searching for “individuals loyal to the US”