MOSCOW, December 31. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service has detained US citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, the public relations center said on Monday.
"On December 28, 2018 staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained US citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission," the center said.
A criminal investigation into espionage has been launched against the US citizen.
If found guilty, he faces between 10 and 20 years in jail.