Russia arrests belly dancer, 33, on suspicion of treason and espionage – World News

Yekaterina “Katya” Zavalishina – a Russian university graduate – is being held in the Russian capital by the FSB, Russia’s counterintelligence service, as a suspected spy

Russia has arrested a 33-year-old belly dancer on suspicion of treason and espionage.

Yekaterina “Katya” Zavalishina was accused of leaking state secrets to a representative of a foreign country.

The country has not been identified, but she was arrested just before she was due to fly from Moscow to Switzerland on business.

The academic was detained in the Russian capital as a suspected spy by the Russian counterintelligence service FSB, once headed by Vladimir Putin.

An official source told state news agency TASS: “The FSB has arrested Moscow-based Russian citizen ES Zavalishina.

“She is suspected of high treason. The investigative team is calling for their arrest.”

It is currently unclear if her case is in any way connected to the current war with Ukraine or if any western country is linked to the case.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison.

The woman had known connections to Switzerland and was registered as a sole proprietor in the “Management and Business Consultancy” department, but had stopped working in April.

Zavalishina was formally arrested in closed session by Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court until mid-August while investigations continue.

“The court imposed a ban [custody] Measure against Zavalishina in the form of imprisonment until August 13, 2022,” said a spokesman.

The detained woman is said to be a “specialist in the field of international relations”.

She graduated from Moscow State University in 2011 and has previously traveled to the US, Europe and Africa, it says.

The court spokesman said: “She is suspected under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code (“high treason”).

“Your case has not yet been reviewed.”

Her mother Larisa, 58, said Zavalishina should have flown to Switzerland on a business trip.

On Sunday she brought her dog to her mother’s care as the puppy was not allowed to fly.

“Her lawyer said she was followed for two months,” Larisa said.

She continued, “I don’t know what happened.

“She worked with foreigners, that’s all I know.

“As she described it to me, all the information she used was freely available.

“That means it might not cause any problems.”

She has spoken to her daughter since her arrest earlier this week, the mother said.

“They gave us the opportunity to speak. She didn’t reassure me, but we are strong enough people. She didn’t cry and I didn’t cry,” she said.

There has been a significant increase in cases of high treason in Russia in recent years.