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Two Russians, Ukrainian Released In Albania Pending Probe Into Espionage Allegations

Russians Mikahil Zorin (left) and Svetlana Timofeyeva appear in court in Elbasan, Albania, in August 2022.
Russians Mikahil Zorin (left) and Svetlana Timofeyeva appear in court in Elbasan, Albania, in August 2022.

Two Russian citizens and a Ukrainian in Albania suspected of espionage have been released from detention while the probe into their cases continues. Russian citizens Svetlana Timofeyeva, 33, and Mikhail Zorin, 25, and Ukrainian national Fedir Alpatov were arrested in August 2022. They were arrested after allegedly attempting to enter the facilities of the Gramsh arms plant. The three denied allegations of espionage, saying they were bloggers seeking to photograph and document abandoned Cold War buildings. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.

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    RFE/RL's Balkan Service

    In 2019, RFE/RL's Balkan Service marked 25 years of reporting in one of the world’s most contested regions, championing professionalism and moderation in a media landscape that is sharply divided along ethnic and partisan lines.

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