A criminal case under the article "espionage" has been initiated against an American citizen, the press service of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers detained US citizen Paul Whelan in the Russian capital during a spy action, the FSB's press service said on Monday.

"On December 28, a US citizen Paul Whelan was detained by officers from the Russian Federal Security Service during a spy action in Moscow", the press office said.
An investigation is ongoing, it added. The Russian service has not shared any other details on the matter.  READ MORE: US Spy Plane Reportedly Spotted Over Russian Bases in Syria (PHOTOS) The article, according to which a criminal case was initiated, provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 10 to 20 years.
Earlier in December, a Norwegian citizen was detained for similar charges of espionage. The court hearing on the case of Frode Berg is set for February 2019.Source: sputniknews.com