The Russian security services (FSB) said on Monday it had detained a Russian citizen, who formerly worked for US diplomacy in Russia, accusing him of relaying information about the Ukraine war to Washington.
In a statement, the FSB claimed Robert Chonov, an ex-employee of the US Consulate General in Vladivostok gathered intelligence since September 2022, concerning the fighting in Ukraine, "problematic elements" of Russia's partial mobilisation and the "influence" of domestic protests.
Russia's security services said he carried out these alleged activities "for material remuneration" and at the request of "the American embassy in Moscow".According to the FSB, the "informant" for Washington is charged with "confidential collaboration with a foreign government", a crime punishable by eight years in prison.Russia's Interfax news agency claimed the FSB released a video in which the suspect made a confession.Russian authorities, especially since the start of the Ukraine invasion in February 2022, regularly arrest people accused of working for Kyiv or carrying out espionage for Western governments.
The Ukrainian army liberated the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhia region on Monday, Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Maliar said on Monday."Our forces are advancing southeast of Robotyne and south of Mala Tokmashka," she said about the two settlements on the southern front. "The enemy is suffering huge losses in these directions, but it is trying to concentrate their forces so as not to abandon positions."On the eastern front, Ukrainian troops also advanced south of Bakhmut - captured in May by the Russians - and regained a square kilometre in the last week of fighting, the deputy minister said.