Global General

Russia expels Israeli diplomat over spying

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-05-19 16:07

JERUSALEM - Russia last week expelled the Israeli military attache in Moscow after briefly detaining him for questioning on suspicion of spying, the Israeli army and the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

"The military attache and defence ministry representative in Russia, Colonel Vadim Leiderman, was last week surprisingly detained for questioning by the Russian authorities on claims of espionage ... following the questioning he was given 48 hours to leave Russia," part of the statement read.

The statement added that an Israeli investigation had found no basis for the Russian suspicions.

"Defence officials in Israel carried out thorough and probing checks and had found that the claims of espionage were completely baseless," it said.

The Israeli foreign ministry declined to comment on the matter, as did the Russian foreign ministry and Russia's Federal Security Service.