A U.S. citizen, also a former employee of the U.S. embassy in Russia, was jailed at a time when tensions between the two countries are at their peak due to the war in Ukraine
On Thursday, a Russian court sentenced a U.S. citizen to 14 years on the charges of drug smuggling. The accused, named Marc Fogel, is a former employee of the U.S. embassy in Russia. Marc Fogel was detained at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow in August 2021. Although he was once employed at the U.S. embassy in the past, at the time of arrest he was working for the City’s Anglo-American school.
             Fogel’s lawyer, who visited him in January this year, told CBS News that Fogel uses marijuana because of his medical condition after spinal surgery. At the time of arrest, he possessed only 17 grams of it. In the court, Fogel pleaded guilty to charges of storing, smuggling, manufacturing, and processing marijuana.
The U.S. State Department has yet not responded to the sentencing of Fogel. The sentencing of Marc Fogel comes at a time when tensions are mounting between Russia and the United States over the Russian attack on Ukraine.                          Â
 It’s not the first time On February 17, American basketball star and WNBA player Brittney Grinner was arrested at Moscow airport when she was found in possession of marijuana oil vape cartridges. Brittney Ginner’s arrest was condemned by the U.S. State Department, with spokesperson Ned Price stating that they are in contact with Russian authorities about the developments in the case. Ginner is still under detention, waiting for her trials which are expected to begin on July 2. Earlier in June 2020, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan was sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment on the charges of espionage. He holds U.S., Canadian, British and Irish passports. The U.S. ambassador to Russia John Sullivan stated Whelan had been tried in a secret trial and no evidence was produced before the U.S. authorities about his involvement in espionage.    Source- Reuters
