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Russia's FSB state security agency says it has arrested a US citizen "caught spying" in Moscow.

It named him as Paul Whelan, saying he was arrested in Moscow on 28 December and charged with "espionage".

The FSB gave no further details.

The US state department says it has requested consular access for the man held in Moscow, Reuters news agency reports. The US has not confirmed his name, but says it has been officially notified about the arrest.

If found guilty, he faces between 10 and 20 years in jail, Russia's Tass news agency reports.

Spying accusations have been a persistent feature of Russia's relations with the US and UK this year.

Associates of President Donald Trump are under investigation in connection with Robert Mueller's special counsel inquiry into possible Russian ties to the Trump presidential campaign.

Earlier this month a Russian gun rights activist held in the US, Maria Butina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. US prosecutors say she acted as a Russian state agent, infiltrating conservative political groups.

In March the UK and its Western allies expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats, in response to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. The UK government accused the Russian state of carrying out the nerve agent attack.

Russia denied this and retaliated by expelling dozens of Western diplomats.</s>Russia says it arrested a U.S. citizen spying in their country. But former CIA officers say that, far from a counterintelligence coup, the American’s detention is most likely payback for the U.S. arrest of confessed Russian agent Maria Butina.

In a short statement Monday, Russia’s Tass news agency said authorities arrested American Paul Whelan “in Moscow while on a spy mission” and that he faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. A State Department spokesperson said the department has been “formally notified of the detention” and has requested access to Whelan.

"This wasn't planned yesterday. It was probably planned back after [Butina] was arrested," Dan Hoffman, a former Moscow station chief for the CIA, told The Daily Beast. “They want to deter future U.S. actions against other private citizens."

Butina pleaded guilty last month to conspiring to act as an unregistered agent for Moscow and signed a broad cooperation agreement with the Justice Department. Prosecutors said she tried to build a backchannel between Kremlin officials and Republican operatives during the 2016 presidential campaign. Russian officials have lodged a number of protests with the State Department about the conditions of her detention (she’s spent weeks in solitary confinement), and President Vladimir Putin said his intelligence services had no association with her.

If the Kremlin has detained Whelan as tit-for-tat in response to Butina’s arrest, then they could use her treatment to justify their treatment of Whelan. In September, the DOJ lawyers prosecuting Butina cited the Russian consulates’ interest in her case as reason to keep her in jail before her trial.

“Since the detention hearing in this case, the actions of the Russian Federation and its officials toward the defendant have confirmed her relationship with, and value to, her own government,” they wrote. “To date, the Russian government has conducted six consular visits with the defendant.”

DOJ lawyers also noted that Russia’s foreign minister had spoken twice to Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, about Butina’s case and that the Kremlin had issued more diplomatic notes on her behalf than for other Russians imprisoned in the U.S. Lawyers concluded that her flight risk was “not hypothetical.”

Hoffman said the incident may serve a domestic purpose for the Kremlin.

"Vladimir Putin is delivering a message to his own people: Russia is a besieged fortress, there's espionage everywhere—I'm the only one who can defend us,” Hoffman said.

Indeed, a lawmaker from Russia’s Duma called for authorities to arrest Americans in retaliation.

“ We would never leave a real intelligence officer vulnerable to arrest, and give Putin a weapon to trade for someone like Ames, Hanssen or Butina. ” — former CIA officer John Sipher

John Sipher, a former CIA officer who served in Russia, said it’s “highly unlikely that [Whelan] is associated with U.S. intelligence” because of the risks involved. “From my experience we would almost never send someone to Russia without diplomatic immunity. Given the laxity of Russian laws and the aggressiveness of their espionage apparatus, we could not guarantee the safety of someone traveling under unofficial cover.”

Russia’s definition of espionage is “extremely flexible and covers all sorts of things that we would not consider illegal in any way,” Sipher added.

Russia has previously arrested U.S. citizens as leverage against the detention of Russian spies in America. For instance, in 1986 the KGB arrested reporter Nicholas Daniloff in the Soviet Union three days after the FBI arrested of Gennadi Zakharov, an alleged intelligence officer and employee of the Soviet U.N. mission in New York.

Federal agents busted Zakharov after he allegedly handed over money to a Guyanese contact for classified U.S. Air Force documents. Daniloff wrote in a subsequent memoir that he knew immediately after the KGB planted maps marked “Secret” on him via a Russian friend that he would end up a hostage for Zakharov’s release. His thinking was prescient—the Reagan administration arranged a swap for him that shortly thereafter.

Sipher said this is exactly the situation the U.S. would try to avoid.

“We would never leave a real intelligence officer vulnerable to arrest, and give Putin a weapon to trade for someone like Ames, Hanssen or Butina,” he said.

But while there's precedent, it's not how Russia usually handles spies, says former CIA Russia chief Steve Hall. “They pick up a foreign diplomat, and accuse them correctly or incorrectly of being an intelligence officer, sometimes detain them, but they are always released and usually declared persona non grata and thrown out of the country,” he said in an interview Monday. Sometimes, they accuse a foreign businessman or academic of spying or other malfeasance as a negotiating tactic to get sensitive information or a better business deal for the Russian government. But this came with a legal charge of espionage and incarceration.

That’s why he thinks this is about revenge for the FBI arrest of Butina.

“The Russians are huge on reciprocity. If you are going to do something to us, we’ll do it to you,” Hall said. “That’s my assessment of what’s happening in this case.”

The arrest comes amid an intensifying spy war between Russia and the West following Moscow’s meddling in the 2016 election and its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The Trump administration has sanctioned a number of personnel from Russia’s Main Intelligence Department (GRU) and Federal Security Service (FSB) for spreading disinformation during the 2016 election, hacking Democratic emails, and launching cyber attacks. After Russian GRU officers allegedly tried to assassinate a defector in England with a nerve agent , at least 20 Western countries expelled Russian diplomats in solidarity with the United Kingdom.

Russia responded by booting 60 American diplomats and closing down a U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg.</s>An American has been arrested in Moscow on espionage charges that could result in 20 years in prison, Russian authorities said Monday.

"On December 28, 2018 staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained US citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission," the FSB said in a statement.

A criminal investigation has been launched, and the FSB said Whelan could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was informed "in a timely manner of the detention." The U.S. State Department confirmed it had been notified of the arrest.

"Russia’s obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access," the State Department said in a statement. "We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it."

The department provided no further details, citing privacy considerations.

More: Maria Butina pleads guilty to conspiracy as agent of Russia in USA

More: 'Does not fit any spy': What made accused Maria Butina different

The Russian announcement came one day after President Vladimir Putin released a holiday greeting to President Donald Trump that stressed the importance of Russia-U.S. relations in "ensuring strategic stability and international security." The one-sentence message also "reaffirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the most extensive agenda."

Earlier this month, Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an agent for the Kremlin without registering in the United States. Butina also agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors.

U.S.-Russian relations have been battered by controversy despite Trump's frequent praise of Putin. Scores of Russian diplomats were expelled this year in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain that was linked to the Kremlin.

And special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election has brought scrutiny on communications between Trump's inner circle and Russian operatives.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American Paul Whelan arrested in Moscow 'while on a spy mission,' Russian officials say</s>Russia’s security agency, FSB, on Monday said it has arrested an American citizen in Moscow accused of spying, AFP reported. The FSB in a statement said the American, identified as Paul Whelan, was arrested on Friday “while carrying out an act of espionage”.

The statement said a criminal case has been registered under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, which allows for sentences up to 20 years in prison.

The arrest comes amid the conviction of Russian citizen Maria Butina in the United States for acting as a Russia state agency, infiltrating conservative political groups, BBC reported.

In November, the US had said it planned to impose additional sanctions on Russia as it believes Moscow has failed to give reasonable assurances that it will not use chemical weapons. The US had threatened the sanctions after Russia allegedly used a nerve gas agent in an attempt to poison former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in England. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied allegations that Moscow was responsible for the attack.</s>US citizen arrested in Russian on spying charges

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's domestic security agency says it has arrested a U.S. citizen on espionage charges.

The Federal Security Service, or FSB, the top KGB successor agency, said that the American man detained in Moscow on Friday. The agency said in Monday's statement that he was caught "during an espionage operation," but didn't give any details.

The state Tass news agency identified the detained man as Paul Whelan. Spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years in Russia.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow had no immediate comment.

The arrest comes as Russia-U.S. ties have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.</s>MOSCOW - An American citizen has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, Russia’s domestic security service, the FSB, said on Monday.

The agency identified the man as Paul Whelan. A criminal case has been opened against him.

"On December 28, staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission," the FSB said in a statement on its website. No other details were given.

By Russian law, foreigners found guilty of spying on Russia face between 10 and 20 years in prison.

The arrest of the U.S. citizen comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow continue to escalate over a range of issues from election meddling to the crises in Syria and Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Russian gun rights activist Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring with a senior Russian official to infiltrate U.S. conservatives. Butina, 30, is the first Russian national to be convicted of seeking to influence U.S. policy in the run-up to the 2016 election by acting as a foreign agent.

Shortly before her guilty plea, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Butina was not known to any of his spy agencies. The country's Foreign Ministry has gone to great lengths to paint Butina as a political prisoner, notably by launching a wide-ranging social media campaign.

The State Department could not be immediately reached for comment.</s>An American has been arrested in Moscow on espionage charges that could result in 20 years in prison, Russian authorities said Monday.

"On December 28, 2018 staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained US citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission," the FSB said in a statement.

A criminal investigation has been launched, and the FSB said Whelan could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was informed "in a timely manner of the detention." The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.

More: Maria Butina pleads guilty to conspiracy as agent of Russia in USA

More: 'Does not fit any spy': What made accused Maria Butina different

The Russian announcement came one day after President Vladimir Putin released a holiday greeting to President Donald Trump that stressed the importance of Russia-U.S. relations in "ensuring strategic stability and international security." The one-sentence message also "reaffirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the most extensive agenda."

Earlier this month, Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an agent for the Kremlin without registering in the United States. Butina also agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors.

U.S.-Russian relations have been battered by controversy despite Trump's frequent praise of Putin. Scores of Russian diplomats were expelled this year in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain that was linked to the Kremlin.

And special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election has brought scrutiny on communications between Trump's inner circle and Russian operatives.</s>A United States citizen has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, Russia's Federal Security Service announced Monday.

The domestic security agency the detained individual as Paul Whelan. It said in a short statement that he was caught during a spying operation, without adding further details.

A criminal investigation is underway, according to the security service.

If convicted of espionage, Whelan faces up to 20 years in jail.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.

The arrest comes days after Russian citizen Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a secret foreign agent in the United States. Butina will be sentenced in 2019. She is likely to face up to six months in prison and then be deported to Russia.</s>Russia's FSB state security agency says it has arrested a US citizen "caught spying" in Moscow.

It named him as Paul Whelan, saying he was arrested in Moscow on 28 December and charged with "espionage".

The FSB, Russia's main counter-espionage service, gave no further details.

If found guilty, he faces between 10 and 20 years in jail, Russia's Tass news agency reports. There has been no US confirmation yet.

Spying accusations have been a persistent feature of Russia's relations with the US and UK this year.

Earlier this month a Russian gun rights activist held in the US, Maria Butina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. US prosecutors say she acted as a Russian state agent, infiltrating conservative political groups.

In March the UK and its Western allies expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats, in response to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. The UK government accused the Russian state of carrying out the nerve agent attack.

Russia denied this and retaliated by expelling dozens of Western diplomats.</s>MOSCOW – An American citizen has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, Russia’s domestic security service, the FSB, said on Monday.

The agency identified the man as Paul Whelan. A criminal case has been opened against him.

The U.S. State Department said it had been notified of an American citizen’s detention by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs but could not confirm the name or provide more details, citing privacy considerations.

The U.S. has asked for consular access. “We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it,” a State Department spokesman said.

By Russian law, foreigners found guilty of spying on Russia face between 10 and 20 years in prison.

“On December 28, staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission,” the FSB, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB service, said in a statement on its website. No other details were given.

The arrest of the U.S. citizen comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow continue to escalate over a range of issues from election meddling to the crises in Syria and Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin, in his New Year’s greeting to President Donald Trump, said he was open to the pair meeting. Trump canceled a formal meeting with Putin at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires earlier this month over Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian naval vessels and crew.

“Russia-U.S. relations are the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security,” Putin wrote to Trump on Sunday, in one of many messages to heads of state around the globe.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry notified the U.S. Embassy in Moscow of Whelan’s arrest in compliance with procedure, Interfax news agency cited officials there as saying. The ministry said his full name was Paul Nicholas Whelan, state-run media reported.

Earlier this month, Russian gun rights activist Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring with a senior Russian official to infiltrate U.S. conservatives. Butina, 30, is the first Russian national to be convicted of seeking to influence U.S. policy in the run-up to the 2016 election by acting as a foreign agent.

Shortly before Butina pleaded guilty, Putin said she was not known to any of his spy agencies. The country’s Foreign Ministry has gone to great lengths to paint Butina as a political prisoner, notably by launching a wide-ranging social media campaign.
Russia's FSB state security agency says it has arrested a U.S. citizen "caught spying" in Moscow. According to former CIA officials the arrest was done as a retaliation for the arrest of alleged Russian spy Maria Butina.