Support The Moscow Times!

Russia’s FSB Arrests Norwegian Suspected of Espionage

Pexels / MT

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has arrested a retired Norwegian border guard on charges of suspected espionage. 

A Moscow district court ordered Frode Berg to be held in custody after the FSB arrested him in a sting operation earlier this month, the Rosbalt news agency reported Tuesday, citing a law enforcement official.

“He was caught red-handed while receiving documents containing secret information,” the official told Rosbalt. 

Berg is suspected of receiving classified documents about the Russian Navy from Alexei Zhitnyuk, a Russian national who was charged with high treason earlier this month. 

The FSB suspects Berg of sharing the documents obtained from Zhitnyuk with Norwegian intelligence services as well as the CIA. 

The Moscow court ordered Berg to remain in custody until Feb. 5, 2018, Russia’s RBC business portal cited a court spokesperson as saying.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

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 every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more