Russian security service arrests US citizen over alleged spying

Russia has detained a US citizen in Moscow accused of spying, the FSB security service said on Monday.

A statement by the FSB identified the American in Russian, using a name that appeared to translate as Paul Whelan.

Whelan was arrested on Friday 'while carrying out an act of espionage', the FSB said.

The FSB, Russia's main counter-espionage service, gave no further details.

A criminal investigation into espionage has been opened, and if found guilty, he faces between 10 and 20 years in jail. There has been no US confirmation yet.

No other details were immediately available.

The arrest came with Russia embroiled in a number of spy scandals with the West, from the alleged poisoning by Russian agents of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England to the US conviction of Russian Maria Butina for acting as an illegal foreign agent.