A high-ranking official of a top Russian science institute has been arrested on suspicion of betraying secrets to China.
Russian Spy Working for China?
Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Alexander Shiplyuk, head of Siberia’s Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITAM), is suspected of passing on classified material at a science conference in China in 2017.
However, the 56-year-old ITAM director has insisted his innocence, arguing that the information was not classified, and was freely available online.
“He is convinced of the fact that the information was not secret and of his own innocence,” one of the sources said.
In addition to Shiplyuk, two other hypersonic missile technology experts were arrested on the suspicion of treason.
President Xi Jinping just met with Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin. President Xi said cementing and ensuring the sound growth of China-Russia relations is not only what the people want but also the trend of the times. pic.twitter.com/bBVCHwqnBB
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) May 24, 2023
Russia-China Relations
The news of Shiplyuk’s arrest coincides with Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin’s visit to China, where ministers from both nations signed several agreements on sports, service trade cooperation, patents, and the export of Russian millet to China.
In the opening remarks of his Wednesday meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Mishustin hailed bilateral ties, claiming that they were “at an unprecedented high level.”
The Russian diplomat said that this was influenced by the “pressure of illegitimate sanctions from the collective West.”
“The peoples of Russia and China cherish their history, rich culture and traditions. We support the further development of our culture, exchanges and communication,” he added.