The former diplomat was recruited to give secrets to the US between 2014 and 2017 (Picture: east2west)

A Russian diplomat accused of spying for the US has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after leaking secrets to the USA.

Arseny Konovalov,38,was accused and handcuffed in a minibus,detained and accused of high treason by Vladimir Putin’s FSB security service. 

A Russian court heard the Foreign Ministry diplomat had been recruited when he was Second Secretary at the Russian Consulate General in Houston between 2014 and 2017. 

During this long-term assignment,the court said he ‘voluntarily’ passed classified information to the United States for a monetary award.

‘By the court’s decision,Konovalov was found guilty of treason and sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony,’ they said in a statement.

When he was detained,an FSB operative told him: ‘You are being detained on suspicion of high treason. Do you know what has happened?’

Arseny Konovalov was captured by security officials (Picture: east2west)

Konovalev replied: ‘No. We’ll need to look into it.’

Konovalev was fired from the Russian foreign ministry after his arrest. 

The ‘spy’ was first arrested by the FSB in March 2024 for collaborating with foreign intelligence services.

But no details were disclosed about the case – his arrest or trial –  until now. 

His wife,Ekaterina Konovalova-Kuznetsova,also worked as a diplomat for the Russian foreign ministry.

Earlier this month,a British man was arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of spying for Russia.

Ross David Cutmore was alleged to have been recruited by Vladimir Putin’s FSB security service and to have passed sensitive information to Russian authorities in exchange for money.

Prosecutors in Kyiv say he handed over ‘the coordinates of Ukrainian units,photographs of the training area,and information regarding military personnel that could be used to identify them’.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: ‘We are providing consular assistance to a British man who is detained in Ukraine.

‘We remain in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities.’

Officials say Cutmore arrived in Ukraine in January 2024 to train recruits in the southern city of Mykolaiv to use firearms and tactical skills.

But he is said to have left that job months later,having agreed to work for the Russian security services for ‘easy money’,the Kyiv Independent reports.

In a statement,the Kyiv prosecutor’s office said: ‘In addition,analysis of his correspondence confirmed that he had carried out other tasks for the benefit of the Russian special services.’

He faces up to 12 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of property,Ukrainian officials confirmed.