Contents tagged with FSB

  • Russian media: detained US citizen was caught in possession of classified information in Moscow

    US citizen Paul Whelan was arrested by police shortly after receiving a storage device with information about a Russian state secret – a classified list of persons that American intelligence has been interested in for some time. 

    A source in Russia’s intelligence agency told Rosbalt that the operation to arrest Whelan was carried out in his room at the Metropol hotel. The American reportedly received an electronic medium with a list of all the staff of one of the classified Russian departments. …

  • Russia arrests US citizen on charges of espionage

    Russia announced on Monday that its intelligence agency had arrested a US citizen in Moscow on suspicion of espionage. 

    According to the FSB, the American was arrested on Friday “while carrying out spying activity”. 

    Charges have been brought against him according to article 276 of Russia’s Criminal Code (Espionage), which envisages a prison sentence of up to 20 years. 

    The suspect was identified as Paul Whelan, but no other details were provided. 

    The US later asked to be granted consular …

  • Russia changes its explanation of attack on Ukrainian ships in Kerch Strait

    Russia closed the Kerch Strait before the attack on the Ukrainian ships in order to “the prevent provocative actions” which could been directed at the Kerch Bridge, stated Alexei Volsky, the Head of the Coast Guard Department of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Interfax-Ukraine reports.

    “It is related to the prevention of provocative action that could be committed by the Ukrainian Navy ships near the Kerch Bridge and undermine the safety of navigation in the Kerch–Yenikale canal,” …

  • Kyiv: Russia has 500 military planes on Ukrainian border

    Russia has amassed roughly 500 tactical military planes and 340 helicopters along its border with Ukraine, Ukrinform reports, citing Vadym Skibitsky, spokesperson for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. He presented this data at a briefing titled “A military and strategic appraisal of the threat of the Russian Armed Forces invading Ukraine”.

    According to Skibitsky, since 2013, Russia has been upgrading its airfield network along the border with Ukraine, and has …

  • Media: Russian FSB searching for those who leaked information on Skripal’s poisoning suspects

    Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) is searching for the people who leaked information on Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, Britain’s prime suspects in Skripal poisoning case. The leaked information included Petrov and Boshirov’s passport application forms, as well as Russian border crossing information from the Rospasport and migration systems, Rosbalt reports, citing a source familiar with the situation.

    According to Rosbalt’s source, FSB operatives are looking for Interior Ministry …

  • US introduces sanctions against Russian companies with FSB links

    The US Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions against three Russian citizens and five Russian enterprises suspected of involvement in "malicious cyber-enabled activities."

    "One of the designated entities is controlled by and has provided material and technological support to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), while two others have provided the FSB with material and technological support," a US Treasury statement, released on June 11, stated.

    The press release noted examples of …

  • Ukrainian Security Service receives complete list of those who were to be killed along with journalist Babchenko

    Ukrainian law enforcement agencies received a complete list of 30 people who were supposed to be killed at the request of the Russian intelligence agency, just as journalist Arkady Babchenko was to be. This was stated by Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko on a broadcast on the TV channel “1 + 1,” TSN reported.

    “At one of the meetings, Herman – and this is recorded on audio and video according to the court’s decision – gave him (the killer) half the sum of 15 thousand dollars. At the …

  • Media: notorious killer associated with Russian Security Service arrived in Kyiv before assassination of journalist Babchenko

    The killer known as Validol, who is associated the Russian special service (FSB), arrived in Kyiv before the murder of the Russian journalist, Arkady Babchenko, reports Kavkazcenter news outlet.

    According to Kavkazcenter, the Chechen-born Walid Lurahmanov, who also goes by name Alexander Smirnov, arrived in Kyiv on May 3. According to the publication, he could have used a fake passport to get to the territory of Ukraine.

    "It is not clear what the purpose of his visit was. It is possible that …

  • Russia accused the Ukrainian Security Service of creating an extremist group in Crimea

    The Federal Security Service of Russia claimed that it stopped the activity of an extremist group in the Crimea created by Erol Veliyev, an assistant to Verkhovna Rada lawmaker and Crimean Tatar Leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, Russian media reports.

    According to the Russian special services, the group was established in Kharkiv under the supervision of Refat Chubarov and with the support of the Security Service of Ukraine. Two athletes, former boxers A. Steshenko and A. Tretyakov were named as co- …

  • Media: Russia decided to block Telegram messenger because of Durov’s plans to launch his own cryptocurrency

    Russia has decided to block Durov’s messenger Telegram in response to founder Pavel Durov’s plans to launch his own cryptocurrency, reports RBC news agency,citing an internal letter of the Federal Security Servicen (FSB).

    “The story is not about terrorism. Pasha Durov decided to become a new Sergei Mavrodi [a Russian financial fraudster],” the letter reads. “After such cryptocurrency is laucnhed in Russia, we would have a completely uncontrolled financial system. It is not Bitcoin for a …