A Japanese journalist was detained in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on suspicion of espionage, TASS reported.
The journalist is a correspondent for the newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun. His name was not disclosed.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said the journalist was gathering information “related to defense capabilities.” He was detained shortly before he was due to fly out of Russia and taken to Moscow.
Ostorozhno, Novosti reported that the journalist is Yuki Imai, 34, who arrived in Russia this summer. He visited Primorsky Krai, including Vladivostok and Nakhodka. Imai was interested in the Soviet-Japanese War of 1945 and relations between Russia and Japan.
Kommersant reported that Moscow’s Lefortovo Court had already ordered Imai held in custody on October 13 on espionage charges under Article 276 of Russia’s Criminal Code.
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