THE ANNOUNCEMENT that charges are being brought in the United States against 11 people suspected of spying for Russia has been met with concern in Moscow.
As the accused, allegedly part of a deep cover spy network, attempted to defend themselves, Moscow’s response was characterised by quiet concern.
The Russian ministry of foreign affairs responded to the arrests yesterday with a short statement, saying it did not understand why the American department of justice chose to issue a public statement about the arrests, an action it described as reminiscent of the cold war. “In any case, it’s a great shame that all this is happening against a backdrop of the ‘reset’ in Russia-America relations, advertised by the US administration itself,” the statement reads.
Later yesterday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov responded further to the arrests at a press conference held with his Israeli counterpart in Jerusalem. Russian news agency RIA Novosti quotes him as saying Russia expected an explanation from the US for the arrest of the Russian “spies” during the meeting.
Mr Lavrov reportedly further stressed the timing of the arrests, which come at a significant point in Russia-America relations.
This week’s sensational events come just days after Russian president Dmitry Medvedev returned from a trip to America.
Hailed as a success, it saw progress in a number of key economic and political areas, as well as allowing Mr Medvedev to enjoy a burger at Barack Obama’s favourite diner.
Mr Medvedev took the opportunity to discuss hastening Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation and development of Skolkovo Technology Park – Russia’s answer to Silicon Valley.
The decision, taken by US authorities during the visit, to add Chechen militant Doku Umarov, one of Russia’s most wanted terrorists, to its list of international terrorists was also seen as an indication of a significant improvement in relations between the two countries.
Those arrested are alleged to have worked for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), one of the successor agencies to the Soviet-era KGB. Legislation covering the SVR, passed under Boris Yeltsin in 1996, authorises the agency to carry out a range of activities including espionage, protecting Russian citizens abroad, co-operating with the security services of other countries and acting to ensure Russia’s security. The Russian president can issue direct orders to the SVR without the permission of any other executive body in Russia. The SVR had not commented on the arrests by the end of the Russian working day yesterday.
The bulk of the KGB’s former operations are now performed by the domestic Federal Security Service (FSB), which also performs some operations abroad.