Russia has detained Laurent Vinatier, a 47-year-old Frenchman working for a Geneva-based conflict mediation organization, accusing him of collecting military information without proper registration.
The state Investigative Committee claimed Vinatier had been gathering sensitive data on Russian military activities for years. The nonprofit Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) is working to secure his release, stating he was their adviser on Russia and Eurasia.
The increased arrests in Russia, particularly around spying and collecting sensitive data, have raised concerns. French President Emmanuel Macron denied Vinatier’s affiliation with the French state, attributing his arrest to a disinformation campaign by Moscow.
Vinatier, with a background in international relations and political economy, has been in custody since his arrest. His case adds tension to already strained relations between Moscow and Paris, particularly over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
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