The Kremlin denied any Russian involvement in the case of a 41-year-old U.S. Army serviceman detained in Britain on suspicion of espionage. Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the detention had “nothing whatsoever to do with Moscow” and that Russia had no connection to it.
What is known about the detention
British counterterrorism police detained the U.S. serviceman on Tuesday near the city of Gloucester in southwest England. The operation followed a joint investigation with the FBI and U.S. Army counterintelligence.
The man was detained under two sections of Britain’s National Security Act concerning the obtaining or disclosure of protected information and assisting a foreign intelligence service. The law allows police to hold him without charge for up to 14 days. British law enforcement officials clarified that the suspicions concern Russia.

Washington’s reaction
FBI Director Kash Patel called the espionage case a matter of “extreme concern” for the United States and its allies. U.S. Army counterintelligence commander Brig. Gen. Sean Stanshon said the alleged actions of the serviceman, who had access to classified data, underscored the reality of insider threats.
Western countries have accused Moscow of espionage on their territory for many years, while the Kremlin has consistently rejected the allegations.
Photo: kremlin.ru (CC BY 4.0), Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0; archive)