Ex-US Consulate Staffer Jailed in Russia for Espionage

|By Babatunji wusu –

A former Russian employee of the U.S. consulate in Vladivostok, Robert Shonov, has received a prison sentence of four years and ten months for “secret collaboration with a foreign state,” Russian agencies reported Friday. Shonov, who worked at the consulate for over 25 years until 2021, was later employed as a private contractor, summarizing Russian media reports for the U.S. State Department.

He was arrested this year on charges of allegedly sharing confidential information regarding Russia’s involvement in Ukraine in exchange for payment. Russian authorities seized 400,000 rubles (€4,000) and an electronic device related to the crime from Shonov.

In September 2023, Russia also expelled two U.S. diplomats, accusing them of coordinating with Shonov. Amid rising tensions, the U.S. claims Moscow is detaining Americans to use in possible prisoner exchanges, despite previous exchanges, such as the high-profile swap involving Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.