Russia accuses French citizen of gathering military intelligence

Russia's FSB security service said a French national arrested in Moscow last month was collecting military intelligence. It is believed that the data collected could be used by foreign intelligence services to harm Russia.
Laurent Vinatier, a researcher at a Swiss conflict mediation NGO, was arrested on charges of violating Russia's "foreign agents" law in June.
The FSB said Vinatieu had "collected information of a military and military-technical nature that could be used to the detriment of the security of the Russian Federation."
Russia has not accused Vinatieu of cooperating with foreign intelligence services or of directly engaging in espionage.
But authorities have previously arrested people for violating the "foreign agent" law before charging them with more serious charges.
The investigative committee said the Frenchman pleaded guilty to the charges, which carry a five-year sentence, after apologizing during a court hearing last month.
The FSB said it had audio recordings of Vinatier's meetings with Russian nationals in which he allegedly gathered military information.
Under Russian law, people who collect, report or share information related to the Russian military or security services must register as "foreign agents."
The law has also been widely used to persecute domestic critics of the Kremlin, with hundreds of journalists and activists branded "foreign agents". | BGNES