" Shonov, a Russian national who worked at the consulate for over 25 years until 2021, became a private contractor after Moscow restricted local staff from working at foreign missions, gathering public Russian media reports for the U.S., according to the U.S. State Department.Shonov was detained in 2023, accused of passing information on Russia’s war in Ukraine to the U.S. in exchange for payment. Primorye’s regional court disclosed that 400,000 roubles ($4,100) and an electronic device were confiscated as part of the investigation.In September, Russia expelled two U.S. diplomats, alleging they served as intermediaries for Shonov. The U.S. State Department defended Shonov’s activities as lawful, saying he "worked as a private contractor compiling press accounts from publicly accessible Russian media, in strict compliance with Russia’s laws and regulations.