Leonid Reshetnikov

The Ministry of Defence in Sofia, Bulgaria. Derzsi Elekes Andor, Wikipedia, Creative Commons 4.0

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that Russia has withdrawn a member of its diplomatic corps in Sofia after the Bulgarian State Prosecution announced earlier that day that it was investigating him or her for spying.

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov and his Russian counterpart Dimitri Medvedev discuss energy projects on August 12. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV.

Prosecutor-general Sotir Tsatsarov told media on Tuesday that Nikolay Malinov has been charged with espionage and that a former senior Russian intelligence officer, Leonid Reshetnikov, has been barred from entering Bulgaria.

The director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS), a think tank directly linked to the Kremlin, has claimed that U.S. troops deployed at Turkey's İncirlik Air Base were involved in the downing of a Russian jet last year.

The director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS), a think tank directly linked to the Kremlin, has claimed that U.S. troops deployed at Turkey's İncirlik Air Base were involved in the failed July 15 coup attempt. 

"We never believed it was the decision of the president to shoot down the plane. We know that outside forces were involved with that decision," said Leonid Reshetnikov, the head of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS).

He was speaking on Oct. 31 at a conference organized by the Ankara Policy Center on the future of Turkish-Russian relations.

Montenegrin PM blasted over Russia policy

BELGRADE -- Metropolitan of Montenegro Amfilohije has strongly criticized Montengerin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović for the decision to impose sanctions against Russia.

This dignitary of the Serb Orthodox Church spoke during the promotion in Belgrade on Tuesday of Leonid Reshetnikov's book, "To Return to Russia".