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Interpreter who attended high-level Downing Street meeting arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of being Russian spy | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An interpreter who once worked at a meeting in Downing Street has been arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of being a Russian spy. | An interpreter who once worked at a meeting in Downing Street has been arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of being a Russian spy. |
The man, who has been named as Stanislav Yezhov, worked for the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Volodymyr Groysman, and accompanied him to a number of high-level meetings, including with Theresa May in Downing Street in July, where he was photographed with the British Prime Minister. | |
He was also present at a meeting with then US Vice President Joe Biden at the White House in 2016. | He was also present at a meeting with then US Vice President Joe Biden at the White House in 2016. |
Mr Yezhov was detained by Ukraine’s SBU security service in Kiev on Wednesday. Footage showed him being led away by two officers. | Mr Yezhov was detained by Ukraine’s SBU security service in Kiev on Wednesday. Footage showed him being led away by two officers. |
Asked about the issue during a visit to Poland, Ms May said she was aware of the reports of Mr Yezhov’s arrest but that it was a matter for Ukraine. | Asked about the issue during a visit to Poland, Ms May said she was aware of the reports of Mr Yezhov’s arrest but that it was a matter for Ukraine. |
She said: “I’m aware of the reports in relation to the Ukrainian individual who attended Downing Street earlier in the summer. | |
“The action that’s been taken is a matter for the Ukrainian authorities.” | |
Ukrainian security services claimed Mr Yezhov had acted “on the orders” of Russian intelligence agencies and had used “special equipment” to collect information “about the activities of government structures”. | Ukrainian security services claimed Mr Yezhov had acted “on the orders” of Russian intelligence agencies and had used “special equipment” to collect information “about the activities of government structures”. |
The information was passed to Moscow via “electronic channels of communication”, they said. | The information was passed to Moscow via “electronic channels of communication”, they said. |
Mr Yezhov’s home and workplace are now being searched by Ukrainian authorities. He will probably face charges of treason, officials said. | |
Mr Groysman said on his Facebook page that the suspect had worked “for a long time in the interests of a hostile state”. | Mr Groysman said on his Facebook page that the suspect had worked “for a long time in the interests of a hostile state”. |
The issue could be raised when Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, meets his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Friday. | The issue could be raised when Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, meets his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Friday. |
The revelation came as Ms May used her trip to Poland to accuse Russia of “weaponising information” as she announced a UK-Poland defence treaty. | The revelation came as Ms May used her trip to Poland to accuse Russia of “weaponising information” as she announced a UK-Poland defence treaty. |
“The Kremlin is seeking to undermine the international rules-based system, and it will not succeed,” she said. | |
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are aware of reporting about the arrest of Stanislav Yezhov in Ukraine. | |
“We can neither confirm or deny the allegations against him. It is not our practice to comment on legal proceedings in other jurisdictions.” |
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