Kremlin charges two Russian-Americans with industrial espionage

“During the raids, material proof confirming the industrial espionage was found and confiscated”

Russia announced Thursday the arrest of two Russian-Americans on charges of industrial espionage. Many analysts believe the move to be part of a Kremlin effort to regain control of the Russian oil producer TNK-BP, which is owned in part by the British oil company BP. One of the arrested men works for TNK-BP.

The Washington Post reports that the announcement by Russia's Federal Security Service, successor to the Soviet Union's KGB, comes just a day after Russian investigators raided the offices of TNK-BP, a Russian oil giant owned by three Russian oligarchs and BP. Read more