A Russian court sentenced Robert Shonov, a former U.S. Consulate employee in Vladivostok, to nearly five years in prison for alleged cooperation with a foreign state, following his arrest in May 2023.

Accused of gathering information on Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and domestic reactions, Shonov’s case highlights Russia’s strict laws against foreign affiliations.

The U.S. Embassy condemned the charges as “false and unfounded,” CBS News has reported.

This conviction adds to a series of recent detentions of Americans and dual nationals in Russia amid heightened U.S.-Russia tensions, some related to the Ukraine conflict.

Written by B.C. Begley