Moscow Condemns Arrest of Alleged Russian Spy in NYCVocabulary and Expressions

Moscow Condemns Arrest of Alleged Russian Spy in NYC
   Russia condemned the United States for the arrest of an alleged Russian spy, condemning the move as a "provocation" that would further damage already strained ties.
   U. S. counterintelligence agents arrested a Russian national and charged him with espionage. Evgeny Buryakov, 39, and two other Russians—Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy —were indicted on charges of spying and attempting to recruit people already living in the United States, including employees of major corporations and women connected to a major university.
   A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman denied the charges, saying the U. S. was resorting to "anti-Russian campaigning. " He said "no evidence which would support such information has been presented. It seems that the American authorities have once again decided to resort to a favorite practice of unwinding espionage. "
   According to a U. S. Justice Department complaint filed in federal court, the defendants were tasked by Russian authorities " to gather intelligence on, among other subjects, potential United States sanctions against Russian banks and the United States’ efforts to develop alternative energy resources. "
   Prosecutors said U. S. authorities gathered physical evidence and electronic data from many meetings, including several in which Buryakov met with an FBI agent posing as a wealthy investor intending to develop casinos in Russia. In past two years, the FBI observed Buryakov and Sporyshev meeting 48 times in outdoor setting. Several of the meetings " involved Buryakov passing a bag, magazine or slip of paper to Sporyshev. "
   The investigation followed leads from a previous case resulting in the arrest of 10 covert agents working in the United States. All 10 pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan to conspiracy charges and were extradited as part of a spy swap for four people convicted of betraying Moscow to the West.
   The three Russian suspects each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
   According to Justice Department officials, more than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, Russian spies continue to work in the U. S. and are a direct threat to U. S. national security.