MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Any attempt by a Russian citizen to work for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or other Western intelligence services, will be viewed as high treason under the law, Andrey Klimov, head of the Federation Council (upper house of parliament, or "senate") Commission on the Protection of State Sovereignty and Prevention of Interference in Russia’s Domestic Affairs, said, commenting on CIA Director William Burns’ article in influential publication Foreign Affairs about the agency’s efforts to recruit Russian citizens.
"A prominent magazine <...> has published an op-ed by the CIA director, who is also a former US ambassador to Russia. He said that the US intelligence community would not let an opportunity to recruit Russian nationals go to waste. <...> I would like to remind those who may be inclined to take the [CIA’s] recruitment bait about Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, which concerns the crime of high treason. Any attempt to work for the CIA, its overseas branches and partner services, as well as for the intelligence agencies of the UK and other NATO countries, will lead to charges under Article 275 and very serious implications," the senator told reporters.
Klimov emphasized that Burns’ statement came at a time when a presidential election campaign was underway in Russia. "Basically, what the CIA director said makes it clear that the entire so-called opposition is completely dependent on the CIA, including those within the country who may get weird ideas and act upon them as well as those who have relocated abroad," the senator stressed.
He also noted that "serious acts of provocation are possible amid election campaign efforts [aimed at Russian citizens residing] overseas, which may involve foreign flunkies [of the CIA and other hostile intelligence agencies].".