New conviction of a former employee of the US consulate in Russia. Washington denounces “unfounded allegations” and “scandalous injustice”. Diplomatic tensions are intensifying between the two countries against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine. A new episode in the spy war?
Diplomatic relations between the United States and Russia are going through a new zone of turbulence. Washington reacted strongly this Saturday to the conviction, the day before by Russian justice, of a former employee of the American consulate in Vladivostok for “secret collaboration with a foreign state”.
Robert Shonov, a Russian national who worked until 2021 for the American diplomatic representation in the Russian Far East, received a prison sentence of almost five years. According to Russian authorities, he transmitted confidential information to the Americans on the conflict in Ukraine in exchange for remuneration.
Washington denounces a “scandalous injustice”
Reacting to this verdict, American diplomacy spokesperson Matthew Miller declared in a statement that “his conviction on unfounded allegations constitutes a scandalous injustice”. He assured that Mr. Shonov was hired after his departure from the consulate “as a private contractor” solely to carry out a routine review of Russian open-access media.
According to Washington, the Russian accusations “are entirely fictitious and unfounded”. But for Moscow, the former consular employee would have served as a “liaison” agent to two American diplomats, expelled last September in the context of this alleged espionage affair.
Prisoner exchanges amid tensions
This new dispute comes in a context of strong tensions between the two powers, exacerbated by Washington’s military and financial support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian offensive. In recent years, several American citizens have been arrested and heavily sentenced in Russia, while others are detained awaiting trial.
The United States regularly accuses Moscow of wanting to use these prisoners as bargaining chips to obtain the release of Russians incarcerated on American soil. On August 1, the two countries carried out their largest exchange of detainees since the end of the Cold War.
The agreement allowed the release of Russian opponent Vladimir Kara-Mourza, American journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan, in return for the handover to Moscow of two secret agents and two Russian computer hackers.
A war of spies in the background
Beyond this highly publicized exchange, the conviction of Robert Shonov illustrates the persistence of a real shadow war between the intelligence services of the two countries. A rivalry exacerbated by geopolitical crises, starting with the conflict in Ukraine.
Moscow regularly accuses Western diplomats stationed in Russia of engaging in espionage activities under diplomatic cover. A suspicion shared on the American side towards Russian representatives in the United States. And the case of the former consulate employee would only be the tip of the iceberg.
Behind the facade of official relations, the two powers strive to recruit agents and informants from the opposing ranks. A shadow war reminiscent of the darkest hours of the Cold War, with its share of spies, double dealings and betrayals. And the Ukrainian conflict has clearly revived this race for information.
Ukraine, new epicenter of Russian-American rivalry
In the eyes of Washington, Ukraine has become the new battlefield of strategic rivalry with Moscow. U.S. intelligence works to obtain information about Russian operations and plans, while helping kyiv guard against Russian attempts at infiltration and destabilization.
For its part, the Kremlin seeks to hinder Western support for Ukraine and preserve its influence over its neighbor. A struggle for influence which also involves espionage and dirty tricks, as evidenced by the Shonov affair. But if this one makes the headlines, how many others remain in the shadows of the secret services?
“Espionage has always been part of international relations. But with the war in Ukraine, it took on an existential dimension.” (Intelligence Analyst)
In this new Cold War, the affair of the former American consulate employee is undoubtedly just one skirmish among others. But it illustrates the continued deterioration of relations between the two giants and the growing risks for those caught in the crossfire. A worrying observation at a time when the world needs dialogue and appeasement more than ever.
