Support The Moscow Times!

Russian 'FSB Employee' Arrested in Lithuania on Suspicion of Espionage

The FSB employee, who was arrested last week, has been placed under arrest for three months, Lithuanian authorities said. Denis Abramov / Vedomosti

A man described as an employee of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has been arrested in Vilnius on suspicion of spying, Lithuanian federal prosecutors said in a statement Monday.

Identified only by the initials "N.F.," the purported FSB employee had sought to "manipulate and influence" decision-making at the highest echelons of the Lithuanian government, the Prosecutor's Office said.

"The arrested [Russian national] was on a reconnaissance mission directed against Lithuania, whose goal was the infiltration of Lithuanian government bodies, law enforcement agencies and Lithuania's intelligence services," the statement read.

The FSB employee, who was arrested last week, has been placed under arrest for three months, Lithuanian authorities said.

Russian officials have yet to publicly react to the claims.

In December, Lithuanian law enforcement detained several members of an alleged spy ring, which had been operating within its armed forces near the NATO airbase in the city of Siauliai. The country's officials left open the possibility that Russia could have been involved in the infiltration of spies into the Lithuanian military, media reported at the time.

Under Lithuanian law, individuals found guilty of spying for a foreign state can face up to 15 years in prison.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more