French citizen convicted in Russia of collecting military information and gets 3 years in prison

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian court has convicted a French citizen of collecting information on military issues and sentenced him to three years in prison. Laurent Vinatier, who was arrested in Moscow in June, had earlier admitted guilt, setting the stage for a fast-tracked trial. Detentions on charges of spying and collecting sensitive data have become increasingly frequent in Russia since it sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Russian authorities accused Vinatier, who is 48, of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s “military and military-technical activities” that could be used to the detriment of the country’s security. France’s Foreign Ministry described Vinatier’s sentence as “extremely severe” and called for his immediate release.