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Ex-employee of US consulate pleads guilty to collecting data about special military op

According to Robert Shonov, he was approached by US embassy employees "seeking information about the key developments in Russia"

Robert Shonov (left) Lefortovo District Court/AP

Robert Shonov (left)

© Lefortovo District Court/AP

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. A former employee of the US consulate general in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East pleaded guilty to collecting data about the course of Russia’s special military operation for US diplomats, according to a video of the Russian citizen’s interrogation released by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).

According to Shonov, he was approached by US embassy employees "seeking information about the key developments in Russia - the special military op, mobilization, the coming presidential election and the accession of new territories. I had to collect negative information about these events, find protest sentiment among the population and report those," he said.

In addition, the first secretary of the US embassy tasked him with revealing people from among reporters, businessmen, and politicians who were loyal to the United States and who could be used for collecting info, like Shonov.

The FSB said that Shonov had been charged with collecting information about the course of the Russian special military operation for the United States. According to the FSB, from last September until he was arrested, Shonov carried out tasks for two employees at the US embassy’s political department in Moscow. There are plans to interrogate the two diplomats who have already been summoned to give evidence, the FSB added.

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