Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had arrested an unnamed former guard at the British Embassy in Moscow for allegedly collecting sensitive information about British diplomats on behalf of Ukraine.
FSB allegations
The FSB claimed that Ukrainian intelligence services intended to use the information collected in an attack targeting British diplomatic personnel and designed to make Russia appear responsible. The service said the plan aimed to draw the United Kingdom into a direct military confrontation with Russia and prompt London to increase its military aid to Ukraine.
According to Russian authorities, the former guard collected data on the diplomats’ personal information, photographs, home addresses, vehicles, routes, security systems and the embassy’s internal work schedules.
Legal proceedings
The FSB said the suspect had been sent to prison pending trial and charged with treason. It said the maximum sentence for this crime is life imprisonment for men and 20 years in prison for women.
The FSB regularly announces treason cases against people accused of working on behalf of Ukraine in Russia, particularly since the war began in 2022.