MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Attempts by Ukrainian secret services to use compatriots for spying and sabotage in Russia have become more frequent, the Moscow and Moscow Region’s office of Russia’s federal security service FSB told TASS.

"There have been more frequent complaints by Ukrainian citizens Ukrainian secret services have been trying to use their compatriots residing and working in Russia for spying and sabotage," the FSB said.

The FSB’s press service said that the handover or gathering of information at the request of a foreign intelligence service or its proxies with the aim of eventually using it against Russia constituted a criminal offense punishable with a prison term of up to 20 years under article 276 of the Criminal Code (Espionage). The person who has voluntarily and timely notified the authorities or helped prevent harm to Russia’s interests in some other way is exempt from criminal punishment.