US takes custody of Russian agent from Estonia
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Vadim Konoshchenok was arrested in Estonia as he sought to cross the border into Russia carrying semiconductors and US-made ammunition for sniper rifles.
PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON - The United States took custody on Friday of an alleged Russian intelligence agent extradited from Estonia, as the Biden administration pursues possible prisoner exchanges for US detainees in Russia.
Vadim Konoshchenok was arrested in Estonia in late 2022 as he sought to cross the border into Russia carrying semiconductors and US-made ammunition for sniper rifles, according to charges filed against him.
He was allegedly a central figure in a seven-person smuggling ring, which included five Russians and two Americans, who operated “under the direction of Russian intelligence services” to obtain US electronics and other goods restricted by US export controls.
US officials said more than 450kg of US-origin ammunition was interdicted or seized from Konoshchenok’s operation.
He faces up to 30 years in prison for conspiracy, violation of export controls, smuggling and money laundering.
Konoshchenok “allegedly provided cutting edge, American-developed technologies and ammunition to Russia for use in their illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine”, said Mr Andrew Adams from the Justice Department.
Konoshchenok’s extradition to the US comes as Washington seeks to negotiate the return of US citizens held by Moscow.
They include Paul Whelan, a corporate security official Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich,
The US denies either was involved in spying, but has been in negotiations to see if they could be swopped for Russians that it holds.
“I’m serious about a prisoner exchange,” US President Joe Biden said on Thursday in Finland.
“I’m serious about doing all we can to free Americans who are being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter. And that process is under way,” he said.
Last December, the US traded jailed Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout for US basketball star Brittney Griner,
In April 2022, Russia released Trevor Reed,
At the same time, the US freed a Russian pilot jailed for drug trafficking.
The US also holds Alexander Vinnik, a Russian money launderer extradited from Greece in 2022 and Vladimir Dunaev, a malware and ransomware hacker extradited from South Korea in 2021.
And Washington is seeking the extradition from Brazil of Sergey Cherkasov, an alleged Russian spy who attended graduate school in Washington under deep cover. AFP
