Russian Spies: Russia Denies Claims

Russia is denying allegations that it was running a long-term spy ring in the U.S., and says the claims will damage the newly “reset” relations between Moscow and Washington. Russian officials called the arrest of 11 suspects on Thursday “groundless” and “unseemly,” and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted at a conspiracy theory that someone in the U.S. government was attempting to undermine U.S.-Russia relations. The 11 are accused of having attempted to befriend American officials and scientists while maintaining civilian jobs and living as couples so as not to raise suspicion. Some had lived in America since the early 1990s; they shared information by posting innocent-looking photos—with hidden text—online, writing letters in invisible ink, and “brush pasts”—when agents swap identical luggage as the pass each other, spy movie-style. The FBI investigation was “multi-year,” the agency said, and resulted in arrests in Boston, New York City, New Jersey, and the suburbs of Washington, D.C. One intercepted message said, "You were sent to USA for long-term service trip… Your education, bank accounts, car, house etc - all these serve one goal: fulfil [sic] your main mission, ie to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US and send intels."