Romanian diplomat arrested in alleged military espionage case in Russia (update)

(Update adds information about the next steps in the process and the Romanian Foreign Affairs official position) Romanian diplomat Gabriel Grecu, who was working in Romania's embassy in Moscow, has been detained for being allegedly involved in the stealth of secret military information in Russia, according to Reuters, quoting Russia's Security Service (FSB). The FSB, successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said the diplomat was caught "red-handed while attempting to obtain secret information," a spokesman for the FSB said by telephone, according to Reuters. The Romanian Embassy in Moscow is yet to make an official statement. UPDATE: Gabriel Grecu was declared persona non-grata in Russia and has two days to leave the Russian territory. The Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry said it will not make any comments on the case. Gabriel Grecu was arrested while he was allegedly trying to get military information from a Russian citizen on August 16. "Espionage materials confiscated from the agent point to his hostile activity against Russia. An investigation is unfolding, according to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). UPDATE 2: Russian media say the Romanian diplomat is allegedly an agent of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE). The security service, in a statement released to Russian news agencies, says espionage equipment was seized from the Romanian diplomat, according to the Associated Press. UPDATE 3: When a diplomat is named persona non-grata in a country, the person has a certain time limit to leave the country, or else they will lose all privileges and their diplomatic immunity. Foreign diplomats cannot be arrested or detained in a country, according to the Vienna convention.

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