Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Agents Acted as Recruiters to Justify CIA Meetings

The FSB headquarters, grey building at center, seen in downtown Moscow, Russia. Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP

Russian intelligence officers charged with betraying state secrets have been accused of covering up their meetings with foreign spies by pretending to act as Kremlin recruiters.

The former FSB officers reportedly told colleagues that they wanted to recruit foreign agents to work for the Kremlin. Instead, they used their meetings to pass on classified information, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.

The four men were investigated for several years before they were arrested, an unnamed source told Interfax. All stand accused of working with U.S. spy agency the CIA.

They have been named as Sergei Mikhailov, a top cyber-security specialist in Russia's FSB; his deputy, Dmitry Dokuchaev; and Ruslan Stoyanov, the head of the cyber-investigation division at private Russian technology firm Kaspersky Labs. The fourth suspect was named by Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta as Georgy Fomchenkova.

Another eight people have identified as potential accomplices in the case, Interfax reported. They have yet to be charged, and could be granted immunity in exchange for acting as witnesses.

… 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