FBI Releases Surveillance Videos of Russian Spies
The FBI has released a series of documents, photos and videos detailing the actions of Anna Chapman and other members of a Russian spy ring apparently secretly exchanging information and money.
Ten individuals were arrested in June 2010 for allegedly carrying out long-term, deep-cover assignments in the United States on behalf of the Russian Federation. The 10 Russian spies were freed in July 2010 as part of a spy swap between the U.S. and Russian governments that revived Cold War-era intrigue.
The FBI said its case against the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) operatives—dubbed Operation Ghost Stories—went on for more than a decade.
“Although the SVR “illegals,” as they were called, never got their hands on any classified documents, their intent from the start was serious, well-funded by the SVR, and far-ranging,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.
“Today we are releasing dozens of still images, surveillance video clips and documents related to the investigation as part of a Freedom of Information Act request,” FBI said.
“The Russian government spent significant funds and many years training and deploying these operatives. No government does that without expecting a return on its investment,” an unidentified FBI counterintelligence agent said in a statement.
“Operation Ghost Stories sends a message to foreign intelligence services that espionage threats to the U.S. will not be tolerated. The FBI’s counterintelligence mission is to identify, disrupt, and defeat the activities of foreign espionage agents, and we take that job very seriously,” the agent said.
One recording showed 28-year-old Anna Chapman and an undercover agent meet in June 2010 in a coffee shop in New York City.
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