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Ukraine denies Russia's spying allegations over retired naval officer

Xinhua, November 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Ukraine on Thursday denied Russia's allegations that a retired Russian navy officer, who was recently detained in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, was spying for Ukraine.

"This time, a former officer of the Black Sea Fleet became a victim of the provocation. We actually know nothing about this man," Andriy Lysenko, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's spokesman, told reporters.

Earlier in the day, Russia's Federal Security Service said it has arrested Captain II rank Leonid Parkhomenko on suspicion of treason.

The detained man was charged with providing classified information on the Black Sea Fleet's activities to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

The arrest of Parkhomenko marked the latest incident in a string of similar arrests of alleged Ukrainian intelligence agents and saboteurs in Crimea.

Kiev has denied the link to all the detainees, saying that the arrests were aimed at discrediting Ukraine in the eyes of the international community.

The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational strategic command of the Russian navy, based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov with headquarters in Sevastopol.

Ukraine's Crimea was incorporated into Russia in 2014 following a referendum, whose results were recognized by Moscow, but rejected by Ukraine and Western powers. Endit