US condemns arrest of former US consulate employee in Russia

The U.S. State Department is condemning the arrest of a former employee of a U.S. consulate in Russia. Russia’s Tass news agency says Robert Shonov was detained in the Russian city of Vladivostok on suspicion of “cooperation on a confidential basis with a foreign state, international or foreign organization.” The State Department says Shonov is a Russian national who worked at the now-closed U.S. consulate in Vladivostok for more than 25 years.  He then worked at a company the U.S. contracted with to support its embassy in Moscow. The State Department department says Shonov’s arrest highlights how the Russian government is using repressive laws against its own citizens.