Russian Court Sentences Former U.S. Consulate Worker to Nearly 5 Years

Robert Shonov, a Russian citizen, was convicted of gathering information on Ukraine and protest activities.

Robert Shonov, a former U.S. Consulate worker in Vladivostok, was sentenced to four years and ten months in prison.
The Russian FSB accused Shonov of collecting information on the Ukraine conflict and Russian protests ahead of the 2024 election.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow condemned the charges as unfounded and criticized the Russian government's actions.
Shonov was charged under a new Russian law targeting confidential cooperation with foreign entities.
In addition to his prison sentence, Shonov was fined 1 million rubles and will face restrictions after release.