New Zealand’s intelligence service cast doubt Tuesday on Russia’s claims that Wellington recruited a man to pass on sensitive information under Moscow’s nose. The Russian Federal Security Service – commonly known as the FSB – said a man living in the southeastern city of Khabarovsk had been arrested after passing information to New Zealand spies.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The Russian citizen had proactively contacted the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, the FSB said in comments published by local media. New Zealand then convinced him to pass on information that could damage the security of the Russian Federation, the FSB added. New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service said it had a “longstanding practice of not commenting on what may or may not be operational matters”. But it added: “It should also be noted that Russian state media are often not the most reliable source of accurate reporting.” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he would follow the convention against commenting on intelligence matters. “I don’t comment on security intelligence issues,” he told reporters. While New Zealand is not typically associated with sophisticated subterfuge, it is part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance alongside the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Foreign affairs expert Alexander Gillespie said Russia’s accusations should be taken with “a large bucket of salt”.