Russia Charges US Consulate Worker With Gathering Intel About Ukraine War

A man walks in front of the entrance to the Lefortovo prison, where Robert Robertovich Shonov is reportedly being held on espionage charges, on April 12, 2023. Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images

Authorities in Russia have charged a former U.S. consulate worker with collecting intel about the war in Ukraine among other related issues for Washington diplomats.

In a statement on Aug. 28, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) said it “stopped the illegal activities” of Robert Robertovich Shonov, a former employee of the U.S. Consulate General in Vladivostok, and charged him with “cooperation on a confidential basis with a foreign state.”