In an affidavit unsealed in federal court on Monday, the Justice Department accused Evgeny Buryakov, also known as “Zhenya,” of posing as a Russian banker in Manhattan to funnel economic intelligence to the SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence agency.
Two other Russians, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy, were ostensibly diplomats in Russia’s UN mission in New York but are accused of being Buryakov’s SVR handlers. While Buryakov was operating deep undercover and therefore had no diplomatic protection, the other two have immunity and have already left the the United States.
Anecdotes in the affidavit portray the accused spies as bumbling and hapless compared to the stereotype of hard-eyed Soviet-era KGB professionals. Still, news of their existences comes at the most perilous moment in U.S.-Russia relations in decades, with Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin at a standoff over issues ranging from Ukraine to Moscow’s claims it has a right to a “sphere of influence” in its backyard.
A spy operation will only serve to deepen the hostilities.
Professor Mark Galeotti, a specialist in transnational organized crime, security affairs and Russia at New York University, said that Russian operations are cranking up against the U.S. and its European allies.
“It is clear that this is a process that has been taking place over time,” he said. “It is not just about throwing money and people into it. It is the tempo and the aggressiveness that is at the height of Cold War levels.”
‘Open society’
–
The document also says that in the summer of 2014, Buryakov “met numerous times with a confidential source working for the FBI.” That revelation may also lead SVR bosses to question the extent of FBI knowledge about their operations.
Another question is why did the FBI move now?
“Arresting a foreign spy is the last option, you would rather turn them or watch who they are taking to,” said Galeotti.
“Why did they decide to arrest this guy? Did they think they would be about to return to Russia? Was it because there was a risk that he was going to stumble across something important? “Was it time to put a shot across the Russian bows?”
The idea that the United States wanted to make a political point about its intelligence operations at a time of rising tensions appears supported by the robust language of the Department of Justice Press release.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to identify and hold accountable foreign agents operating inside this country — no matter how deep their cover,” said Attorney General Eric Holder.
Bharara added: “New York City may be more hospitable to Russian businessmen than during the Cold War, but my office and the FBI remain vigilant to the illegal intelligence-gathering activities of other nations.”
