Russia detains Ukrainian consul over classified information

Russia detained a Ukrainian diplomat for allegedly receiving classified information from a database of the countrys main security agency. The Federal Security Service, or FSB, said Saturday that Alexander Sosonyuk, Ukraines consul in St Petersburg, was taken into custody on Friday during a meeting with a Russian in which he received information of a classified nature contained in the databases of law enforcement agencies and the FSB”.

The FSB statement, reported by Russian news agencies, didnt give further details.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said Sosonyuk has been released from custody and is on Ukrainian diplomatic property. It wasnt immediately clear if Russia would move to expel him.

Nikolenko said Ukraine was preparing a response, but didnt elaborate.

The detention comes amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine amid a Russian military buildup along the border with the eastern Ukraine region, which is under the control of Russia-backed rebels.

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