Russia: Former energy exec convicted of spying for Moldova

A court in Moscow has convicted a former top executive of a Russian state-controlled energy company on espionage charges and sentenced her to 15 years in prison

Russia Espionage Trial (Moscow City Court via Moscow News Agency)

A court in Moscow convicted a former top executive of a Russian state-controlled energy company on espionage charges Tuesday and sentenced her to 15 years in prison.

The Moscow City Court found Karina Tsurkan guilty on charges of spying for the ex-Soviet nation of Moldova while working as a member of the management board of Inter RAO. The energy holding dealing with electric power supply and heat generation has assets in Russia and several other ex-Soviet countries.

Tsurkan headed Inter RAO’s trading division when she was arrested in June 2018. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the main KGB successor agency, accused her of handing over classified information about energy supplies to the Moldovan spy agency. Tsurkan has denied the accusations.

Her trial was held behind closed doors, and details of the charges remained hidden from the public. Her lawyers said they would appeal the verdict.