Russia arrests Ukrainian on spying charges

Russian authorities said Monday that they have arrested a Ukrainian man "red-handed" for spying on the country's classified arms programs. 

What do we know about the arrest?

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said the suspect was detained in the Russian town of Tula, which is around 170 km (105 miles) south of Moscow. The town is home to an arms factory which manufactures guided missiles as well as various military-grade rifles.

The FSB did not give the man's identity, but claimed he was a member of the Ukrainian intelligence services. He is accused of stealing technical documents and information pertaining to Russia's latest arms technologies.

"His goals were to recruit Russians and obtain from them legally protected information on promising developments in the field of small arms," the FSB said in a statement regarding the suspect.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars.

Russia cracks down on espionage

Russia has clamped down domestically on academics and scientists for alleged spying. Russian agents recently arrested  a hypersonics technology scientist for allegedly giving secret information to a foreign citizen.

Tensions have been high between Russia and Ukraine since the 2014 Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. The war in eastern Ukraine has also caused fraught ties between the two countries.

In April, Russia arrested a Russian national in Crimea for spying on behalf of Ukraine. The man was accused of handing information pertaining to Russia's Black Sea Fleet to the Ukrainian government.

wd/dj (Reuters, AFP)