Washington (CNN)They weren't exactly James Bond but the three alleged Russian spies exposed by the FBI are part of the most intense effort by Russia to infiltrate agents onto American soil since the Cold War. In an affidavit unsealed in federal court on Monday, the Justice Department accused Evgeny Buryakov, also known as "Zhenya," of posing as a Russian banker in Manhattan to funnel economic intelligence to the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency. Two other Russians, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy, were ostensibly diplomats in Russia's UN mission in New York but are accused of being Buryakov's SVR handlers. While Buryakov was operating deep undercover and therefore had no diplomatic protection, the other two have immunity and have already left the the United States.
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Alleged Russian spies seem hapless but may hint at wider operation
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Arrest comes at time of sharp U.S.-Russia tensions
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"This case is especially egregious as it demonstrates the actions of a foreign intelligence service to integrate a covert intelligence agent into @placeholder society under the cover of an employee in the financial sector," he said.
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@placeholder is quoted in the affidavit as saying that he didn't expect to be "James Bond" but had expected a little more excitement.
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Podobnyy is quoted in the affidavit as saying that he didn't expect to be "@placeholder" but had expected a little more excitement.
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@placeholder businesses and capital are increasingly important to and invested in the global economy.
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And the nexus between vast @placeholder commercial and energy interests, and organized crime offers a shady world where spies can prosper.
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That revelation may also lead SVR bosses to question the extent of @placeholder knowledge about their operations.
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"Was it time to put a shot across the @placeholder bows?"