Russia has arrested a 33-year-old belly dancer on suspicion of high treason and spying.
Yekaterina ‘Katya’ Zavalishina was charged with passing state secrets to a representative of a foreign country.
The country was not identified, but she was detained shortly before she was due to fly on business from Moscow to Switzerland.
The university graduate was held as a suspected spy in the Russian capital by the FSB, Russia ’s counterintelligence service, once headed by Vladimir Putin.
An official source told TASS state news agency: "The FSB detained Moscow resident, Russian citizen E.S. Zavalishina.
“She is suspected of high treason. The investigative team demands her arrest.”
It is unclear for now if her case is linked in any way to the current war with Ukraine, or if a Western country is linked to the case.
She faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted.
The woman had known connections with Switzerland and had been registered as an individual entrepreneur in “business and management consulting” but ceased operating in April.
Zavalishina was formally arrested in a closed-door session by Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court until mid-August as investigations continue.
"The court handed down a restraining [custody] measure against Zavalishina in the form of a custodial term until August 13, 2022,” said a spokesman.
The detained woman is believed to be a “specialist in the field of international relations”.
She graduated from Moscow State University in 2011 and has previously travelled to the US, Europe and Africa, it is understood.
The court spokesman said: "She is suspected under Article 275 of Russia’s Criminal Code (‘High Treason’).
“Her case has not yet been examined.”
Her mother Larisa, 58, said Zavalishina had been due to fly on a business trip to Switzerland.
On Sunday, she brought her dog for her mother to look after, as the pooch had not been allowed to fly.
“Her lawyer said she had been followed for two months," Larisa said.
She continued: "I do not know what happened.
“She had been working with foreigners, this is all I know.
“As she described it to me, all the information she used was in open access.
“That is, it could not cause any problems.”
She had spoken to her daughter since she was detained earlier this week, said the mother.
“They gave us the opportunity to speak. She did not calm me down, but we are strong enough people.She did not cry and I did not cry,” she said.
There has been a marked rise in high treason cases in Russia in recent years.
