A former Russian intelligence officer who helped the U.S. authorities uncover a Russian spy ring last summer has been charged with high treason and desertion, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Tuesday.
Ten Russians, including media star Anna Chapman, were arrested in the United States in June 2010 on suspicion of espionage. They plead guilty to conspiring to act as unregistered foreign agents and were returned to Russia in exchange for four men accused by the Kremlin of spying for Britain's MI6 and the CIA.
"The FSB investigation department has completed an investigation into the case to charge Russian national Alexander Poteyev with committing high treason by divulging state secrets," the FSB said in a statement.
It said the indictment against Poteyev was sent to Moscow's main military court on April 21.
Poteyev fled to the United States with his family shortly before the arrest of the sleeper agents was made public. His case will be heard in absentia.
MOSCOW, May 3 (RIA Novosti)
