Russia and the United States are set to engage in a spy swap after ten Russians accused of spying pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges on Thursday.
While sources vary on the number of US agents that will be given up by Russia, two sources in the Obama administration say Russia will release four people.
Igor Sutyagin is believed to be one of them. He was serving 14 years for spying for the United States in his role as a Russian arms control analyst. Reports indicate he has already been released, though his family have not received confirmation. According to the Globe and Mail, he told relatives he would be one of 11 convicted spies released in exchange for the 11 people charged in the United States.
The speed of the coming swap, coming so soon after 10 Russians were arrested last week, has sparked comparisons to the cold war era when such trades took months and longer.
At press time, the names of those to be handed over by Russia were yet to be released.
The Russians are expected to be deported to Russia within hours of their guilty plea in a Manhattan courtroom, sometime on Thursday.
Each submitted pleas of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign country. An 11th defendant, who jumped bail, fled from authorities in Cypress.
While sources vary on the number of US agents that will be given up by Russia, two sources in the Obama administration say Russia will release four people.
Igor Sutyagin is believed to be one of them. He was serving 14 years for spying for the United States in his role as a Russian arms control analyst. Reports indicate he has already been released, though his family have not received confirmation. According to the Globe and Mail, he told relatives he would be one of 11 convicted spies released in exchange for the 11 people charged in the United States.
The speed of the coming swap, coming so soon after 10 Russians were arrested last week, has sparked comparisons to the cold war era when such trades took months and longer.
At press time, the names of those to be handed over by Russia were yet to be released.
The Russians are expected to be deported to Russia within hours of their guilty plea in a Manhattan courtroom, sometime on Thursday.
Each submitted pleas of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign country. An 11th defendant, who jumped bail, fled from authorities in Cypress.
