Russia’s FSB security service said Monday that it arrested a man in the Far East city of Khabarovsk on accusations of spying for New Zealand.
In a statement, the FSB said the 55-year-old man contacted New Zealand intelligence services, which are part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance that includes Australia, Canada, Britain and the United States.
The man, who was not identified by name, was alleged to have gathered and shared information “that could be used against Russia’s national security.”
In a separate statement, the FSB claimed that New Zealand had “recruited” the man to gather intelligence on Russia’s defense cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
An FSB video released by Russian media showed uniformed agents arresting a man on the street and searching his home, where officials allegedly uncovered large amounts of U.S. dollar bills and Five Eyes paraphernalia.
