Employees of the General Security Service and the Israeli Defence Ministry’s own security service have detained Russian Vitaly Zvyagintsev on suspicion of spying for Iran, Ynet reported citing a statement by the intelligence services.
According to the investigation, Zvyagintsev photographed and videotaped port and maritime infrastructure, American and Israeli ships and vessels, as well as an oil refinery in Haifa. He had already been detained, interrogated and released. After that he photographed various objects for another month.
According to the version of the investigation, the Russian was aware of the spying activities and received money for them. In total, he received almost five thousand dollars from Svyazny, who introduced himself as Roman.
On 4 December, Zvyagintsev was again detained at the Ramat David airbase during the recording of another video. Then the Russian was arrested. The publication, citing the indictment, writes that Zvyagintsev confessed to the charges against him.
Zvyagintsev worked as a caretaker at the Tel Aviv Opera House.