Russia conceded on Tuesday that the 11people arrested for suspected espionage were its nationals, but said they had not committed actions against US interests, even as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that the scandal will not affect bilateral relations.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday the persons arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation were "Russian citizens who found themselves on US territory at different times. But they have not committed any actions directed against the US interests".
Quoting ministry sources, RIA Novosti said Moscow hoped they would be "well treated while in custody" and that US authorities would grant them access to the Russian lawyers. At his meeting with Former US President Bill Clinton, Putin, an ex-KGB spy, said he hoped the latest spy scandal would not damage Russian-US ties. "Your police are out of hand, jailing people," Putin told Bill Clinton.
"I hope the positive developments that have been accumulated recently will not be damaged," Putin said in a televised statement. The US has arrested 11 people on charges of spying for Russia, in an incident reminiscent of Cold War hostilities.
Following the development, an angry Moscow issued a stern warning that it would be a blow to the Obama-Medvedev 'burger' diplomacy and the 'reset' in bilateral ties. The arrests were made on Sunday and Monday in Boston, New York, New Jersey and Virginia, the Department of Justice announced today alleging that the group dubbed the "Illegals" was tasked by the Russian intelligence agency SVR to enter the US, assume false identities and carry out espionage activities.
The defendants, eight of whom are married couples, held jobs in fields such as finance and media. The FBI said the arrests are a result of multi-year investigations. The 11th suspect was detained in Cyprus. Canadian Robert Christopher Metsos, 54, was arrested at Larnaca airport in Cyprus by the police as he prepared to board an early-morning flight to Budapest.
"These Russian secret agents work to hide all connections between themselves and Russia, even as they act at the directions and under the control of SVR, these secrets agents are typically called "illegals", the FBI said in its complaint filed before a US court on Monday. Reacting sharply to the arrest, Russia warned that it would be a blow to the recent 'burger' diplomacy between Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev and the 'reset' in bilateral ties.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow wanted an explanation from the United States over the arrest of the Russian "spies."
