French citizen accused of unlawfully collecting military information in Russia denied bail

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian court has ordered a French citizen arrested in Russia to remain in custody ahead of his trial on charges of unlawfully collecting information on military issues. Laurent Vinatier was arrested in the Russian capital in June as tensions flared between Moscow and Paris following French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments about the possibility of deploying French troops in Ukraine. Russian authorities accused Vinatier of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s military that could be used to the detriment of the country’s security. The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison. On Wednesday, Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky District Court ordered Vinatier to remain in custody until Sept. 5.