Emmanuel Macron confirms the arrest of a Frenchman in Russia on espionage charges

A few hours after the Russian authorities announced the arrest of a Frenchman in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, Emmanuel Macron confirmed the news. In a televised interview, the President said that ‘yes, one of our compatriots has been arrested in Russia’.

This French national, who works for a Swiss NGO founded by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and specialising in diplomacy, was not working for France, Emmanuel Macron said. He added that this French citizen would receive all the consular protection appropriate for this type of situation.

Accusations by the Russian authorities

The Russian Federation’s Investigative Committee announced on Telegram that the Frenchman is suspected of having ‘collected information in the field of military and military-technical activities of the Russian Federation’ for several years. The Russian authorities also claim that he failed to comply with the obligation to submit the documents required for entry on the register of foreign agents.

According to the Russian authorities, the man visited Russia on several occasions, particularly Moscow, and met Russian citizens. They added that the Frenchman would soon be charged and that a preventive measure would be chosen.