MOSCOW, October 4 (Itar-Tass) — The new "Russian spies" caught in the USA must have acted in the interests of a private firm, and the scandal has been fanned ahead of the presidential election in that country, member of the committee on security under the State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament, former director of the Federal Security Service Nikolai Kovalyov told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
"The supplies of certain electronic equipment to Russia are the point at issue," the parliamentarian reminded, "as far as I am informed, such attempts have long ceased to be part of Russia's state policy, because who would be interested in obtaining this information and why?"
"Most likely, it's about people's actions in the interest of private commercial bodies. Hence the obvious conclusion: if the USA and other western countries say they are interested in Russia’s being strong and in its support, it means it should have access to these technologies. And every time they wish to present it as acts of espionage involving theft from the West.
"In the vernacular, it must be certain technical espionage for a firm, a private firm," he reiterated," the state is by no means involved. Because western technologies, if they incorporate different parts, are of little use in the defense industry. "If information about their performance characteristics is obtained, the producer always has the opportunity to influence the functioning of these products. Every country is interested in having something of its own; it's more reliable.
Kovalyov also stated that "the whole world politics - which is no overestimation - is built around Russia; and very many politicians make their careers thanks to Russia. Some announce it a strategic partner, while others declare it enemy number one. But all the time and in all countries of the world - America is not an exception here - some scandals invariably break out involving Russia ahead of important elections, especially such as the presidential polls in the USA.
"By the information input, we rather deal with a propaganda action. It is fed in doses with the view of fanning the situation and introducing mystery. Attempts will be made through the press to show that "Russia's powerful secret services are working against the poor America," he added ironically.
"This is not so; we have to move along the way of cooperation; whereas what we see now is a new stage of tensions. PACE is beginning a "crusade" against Russia, the OSCE cannot leave us unattended and now this spy scandal in the USA is added.
On Wednesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation /FBI/ announced it had exposed another "network of Russian secret services." In a press release, it named 11 persons and two firms accused of "illegal exports from the USA of high-tech microelectronics in the interests of the Russian military and secret services."
According to the document, the suspects in the case are Alexander Fishenko, Shavkat Abdullayev, Lyudmila Bagdikyan, Anastasia Dyatlova, Svetlana Zagon,Viktoria Klebanova, Sergei Klinov, Alexadner Posobilov, Yuri Savin, Sevinzh Tagiyeva and Dmitry Shegrunov, as well as the Arc Electronics company from Texas and the Moscow-Based Apex System.
Eight persons have been detained, the press service of the U.S. Department of Justice told Itar-Tass. Fishenko, 46, is the only person who has a Russian passport.
The USA insisted that the microelectronic components which allegedly were supplied to Russia were subject to strict government control as they could potentially be used in a broad range of military hardware, including radars, surveillance systems, target acquisition systems and detonators.