Finance
Russia Detains Former Radio Free Europe Freelancer for Treason, Tass Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 9, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 9, 2026
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Quick Summary
Russia’s FSB has detained a former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty freelancer in Chita on treason charges, accusing the individual of cooperating with Ukraine, according to TASS.
Russia detains former Radio Free Europe freelance journalist on treason charge
Details of the Detention and Allegations
MOSCOW, April 9 (Reuters) - Russia's Federal Security Service said on Thursday that it had detained a former Radio Free Europe freelance journalist on suspicion of treason for passing information to Ukrainian intelligence.
Accusations and Identity of the Suspect
The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said the man, whose name it did not disclose, was accused of high treason for purportedly cooperating with Ukraine's SBU intelligence service.
Response from Involved Parties
There was no immediate comment from Kyiv or Radio Free Europe, and the FSB did not say whether the detained man had denied or admitted the accusations against him.
FSB Operation and Evidence
In footage released on social media, FSB officers in masks were shown knocking on the man's door and entering for a search of his apartment. The video showed the FSB lining up 21 old memory sticks and two mobile phones and reading him his rights.
Alleged Information Transfer
The FSB said the man, a resident of Chita in eastern Siberia who was born in 1960, had supplied information via Telegram to Ukrainian intelligence on a local print publication and about a critical infrastructure object in the region.
Impact of the Information Leak
"The information received by the special services of Ukraine was used to carry out computer attacks on these facilities, which temporarily hampered the authorities from performing their duties," the FSB said in a statement.
FSB Warning and Legal Consequences
"The FSB once again draws attention to the fact that all persons who have consented to assist the enemy will be identified, brought to criminal responsibility and will receive the harsh punishment they deserve," it said.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge/Anastasia Teterevleva; editing by Andrew Osborn and Hugh Lawson)
Key Takeaways
- •The detained individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, is accused of treason for allegedly collaborating with Ukraine’s intelligence services as per Russian state media TASS.
- •This case follows a broader pattern of Russia prosecuting journalists and dual nationals for alleged ties to Ukraine or foreign entities—cases include the 2024 detention of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and earlier charges under new treason-related legislation (rt.com).
- •Independent monitoring groups and international agencies view such prosecutions as part of an intensifying crackdown on press freedom and dissent, with vaguely defined treason laws casting a wide net over media professionals (russianlife.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia detains former Radio Free Europe freelancer for treason, TASS says
1Who was detained in Chita for treason?
A former freelancer for Radio Free Europe was detained in Chita by Russia's FSB for alleged treason.
2Why was the former Radio Free Europe freelancer detained?
He was accused of treason for cooperating with Ukraine, according to Russia's FSB.
3Was the name of the detained individual released?
No, the FSB did not disclose the name of the detained individual.
4Which agency reported the detention?
The Russian news agency TASS reported the detention.
5When was the former Radio Free Europe freelancer detained?
The detention was reported on April 9 by Reuters, based on information from the FSB and TASS.
