A Russian citizen who holds a residence permit in Romania was detained for 30 days on suspicion of attempting to carry out an act of sabotage. Russia’s Embassy in Romania said it had received notification of the detention from Romania’s State Prosecutor’s Office.
The embassy said the detention took place on Tuesday. Romanian media reported the incident, citing Romania’s State Security Service and other law enforcement agencies.
Military intelligence-gathering allegations
The reports alleged that the Russian citizen had been accused of gathering military intelligence by photographing and filming sensitive facilities. The activities were alleged to have been intended to prepare acts of sabotage and subversion.
Russia’s Embassy in Romania described the published material as based on assumptions, speculation and inaccurate assessments. The diplomatic mission argued that there was no concrete evidence confirming that the citizen’s activities were unlawful or that Russian state institutions were involved in the incident.
Request for a meeting with Bucharest
The embassy suggested that the incident could be a new provocation aimed at fueling anti-Russian sentiment. The mission said it was closely monitoring developments and was ready to provide the Russian citizen with the necessary consular and legal assistance.
Russia’s Embassy in Romania applied to the Romanian authorities for a meeting with the detained citizen. The embassy also argued that the incident showed how difficult it was for Russian citizens legally residing in European Union countries to feel safe.