Thaindian News

Washington, July 9 (ANI): Ten Russian spies, who pleaded guilty in one of the biggest spy ring busts in recent history, have boarded a plane chartered by the U.S. Government and are heading for Vienna.

According to ABC News, they were accompanied by U.S. Marshals who will keep them in their custody until they are turned over to the Russians in ‘first spy swap’ between the U.S. and Russia in 24 years.

Earlier, the US State Department said after the hearing that there would be “no significant national security benefit” in sentencing the ten to lengthy jail terms.

All 10 spies pleaded guilty in a New York court on Thursday afternoon to one criminal count of conspiracy to act as unregistered agents of a foreign country. They were sentenced to time already served, which amounted to eleven days.

The ABC has stated attorneys of the spies as saying that before their guilty pleas, the 10 spies met with Russian diplomats to discuss the life they’d have when they returned to Russia.

In Moscow, at least four Russians accused of spying for the CIA were to be sent west today. One is Igor Sutyagin, a nuclear arms scientist who continued to maintain his innocence and was described as depressed because now he will not have a chance to prove his innocence.

The attorney of Vicky Pelaez, believed to be the only spy not born in Russia, told the court that she has been given special assurances from the Russian government that she would be given free housing in Russia, a monthly stipend of 2000 dollars for life, visas with her children, and an all-expense paid trip for her children to travel to Russia.

“She is happy to get out of jail and may move to Britain after being sent home to Russia today,” Robert Baum, an attorney for Anna Chapman said. (ANI)