A former Russian diplomat has been sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony after being convicted of selling state secrets to United States intelligence agencies.
FSB Ambush Captured on Camera
The dramatic moment of his arrest was captured on video and widely broadcast across Russian state media. The footage shows Arseniy Konovalov looking shocked as he is ambushed and detained by agents from the Federal Security Service (FSB) while travelling in a van in March 2024.
He was informed at the scene that he was suspected of treason. A separate video released later showed the diplomat behind bars while awaiting trial.
Long-Term Espionage for Money
On Friday, a Moscow court found Konovalov guilty of treason and also imposed a fine equivalent to $1,200. In a statement, the FSB outlined the charges against him.
"It was established that A.S. Konovalov, an employee of the Russian Foreign Ministry, during a long-term foreign assignment in the United States, proactively transferred secret information to American intelligence for money," the security service said.
The FSB did not specify the nature of the information passed on, nor identify which US agency was involved. US intelligence services have not commented on the case.
Posting in the United States
According to Russian newspaper Kommersant, Konovalov had served as second secretary of the Russian Consulate General in Houston. His diplomatic posting in the US lasted from 2014 to 2017.
His arrest and severe sentencing come amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West, underscoring the ongoing shadow war of espionage and counter-intelligence.
