The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced today that it had arrested a Romanian citizen in Sochi on suspicion of spying for Ukraine, Agence France-Presse reported. The arrest announcement comes amid diplomatic tensions between Moscow and Bucharest.
In a press release, the FSB accused the Romanian citizen, born in 2002, of collecting and passing on to Ukrainian services data on the locations of Russian air defense systems in the city of Sochi in the summer of 2024. In return, the FSB said, Ukrainian services promised to help him safely leave Russia and join the Ukrainian army.
The FSB added that the Romanian is suspected of espionage, a crime punishable in Russia by 20 years in prison. Russian media published a video of the FSB showing two agents arresting the man and wrestling him to the ground. The suspect, whose face was blurred during questioning, spoke English and said he had sent information about the location of a Russian anti-aircraft battery to an acquaintance in the Ukrainian services.
During Romania's presidential election in November, Bucharest suspected Russia of interfering in favor of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, a Vladimir Putin admirer who opposes aid to Ukraine and who rose to political prominence after a massive campaign on "TikTok", AFP notes.
The Romanian election was ultimately annulled, and Calin Georgescu was then barred from participating in the new vote, the first round of which is scheduled for May 4.
Relations between Bucharest and Moscow have been particularly tense since the Kremlin launched its offensive against Ukraine in February 2022. In early April, Moscow expelled the Romanian military attaché. Previously, the same measure was taken by Bucharest against the Russian military attaché.