Russia's Federal Security Services (FSB) claims to have arrested a Ukrainian intelligence agent who was trained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
In a statement released on Thursday, the FSB identified the man as Ukrainian Lieutenant Colonel Yuriy Ivanchenko, a counterintelligence officer for Ukraine's Security Services (SBU), backed by the CIA.
According to the FSB's statement, the man came into Russia under the pretext of visiting family but he actually aimed to infiltrate Russia's Security Services. His plan was to pose as a double agent to obtain information about FSB operatives in Ukraine.
The FSB has published no photos of Ivanchenko and does not specify when he arrived in Russia, but says that Moscow was aware of his SBU affiliation and CIA training prior to his arrival. There is also no information on where he was detained, but the FSB claims he had previously tried to disingenuously offer his services to them in 2014.
Russia's security services said it would deport Ivanchenko and ban him from entering the country ever again, adding that he had been caught before damaging Russian security.
The SBU and CIA were not immediately available to confirm or deny whether Ivanchenko is affiliated with either country's security body.
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