DATE=7/28/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217768
TITLE=RUSSIA / SPY (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ELIZABETH ARROTT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE COLD WAR MAY BE OVER, BUT A LOT OF SPYING STILL GOES 
ON.  AT LEAST, THAT IS WHAT RUSSIAN PROSECUTORS ARE ARGUING IN A 
CONTROVERSIAL CASE INVOLVING A POSSIBLY INSANE YOUNG MAN.  
V-O-A'S ELIZABETH ARROTT REPORTS FROM MOSCOW.

TEXT:  PLATON OBUKHOV LIKED TO WRITE DETECTIVE NOVELS.  NOW HIS 
LIFE HAS BECOME ONE.

IS HE THE BIG-TIME SPY RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE SAY HE IS?  OR A  
SCHIZOPHRENIC YOUNG MAN, UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH REALITY FROM 
FANTASY?

JUDGES IN PRIVATE SESSION AT A MOSCOW COURT ROOM BEGAN HEARING 
ARGUMENTS FOR BOTH SIDES MONDAY.  

MR. OBUKHOV IS A FORMER LOW LEVEL FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL AND 
SON OF A PROMINENT DIPLOMAT.  HE WAS ARRESTED IN APRIL LAST YEAR 
ON CHARGES HE SOLD SECRET INFORMATION TO BRITISH INTELLIGENCE.

IN AN UNUSUAL TELEVISION APPEARANCE, MR. OBUKHOV CONFESSED TO THE
CRIME, DESCRIBING HIS FEARFUL ENCOUNTERS WITH FOREIGN AGENTS.

BUT HIS FAMILY INSISTS MR. OBUKHOV DID NOTHING WRONG.  HIS 
MOTHER, OLGA OBUKHOVA, SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER BEFORE THE
TRIAL GOT UNDERWAY, SAID HER SON HAS LONG SUFFERED PSYCHIATRIC 
PROBLEMS.

  /// OBUKHOVA (INTERPRETER) ACT -- IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///

         MY SON HAD  NO  ACCESS TO SECRETS AT HIS RANK.  HE WAS A
         JUNIOR DIPLOMAT.  IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO 
         PERSUADE HIM TO LEAVE THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, BECAUSE WE 
         COULD  NOT  TELL HIM THAT HE WAS ILL.  HE THOUGHT HE WAS
         MENTALLY OKAY -- THAT'S PART OF HIS ILLNESS.

                        ///  END ACT ///

WHILE RUSSIAN SECURITY OFFICIALS ACCEPT THAT MR. OBUKHOV IS AT  
PRESENT MENTALLY UNFIT, THEY ARGUE HE WAS OF SOUND MIND WHEN HE 
ALLEGEDLY PASSED SECRETS TO THE BRITISH.

PERHAPS MORE UNUSUAL THAN THE CASE, IS ITS TIMING.  THIS IS THE 
FOURTH FOREIGN ESPIONAGE CASE IN RECENT WEEKS, WITH TWO RUSSIANS 
ALREADY SENTENCED TO PRISON, ONE FOR SPYING FOR BRITAIN THE OTHER
FOR THE UNITED STATES.

THE ENSUING TIT-FOR-TAT EXPULSIONS OF DIPLOMATS HAVE BROUGHT TO 
MIND SOME OF THE BLEAKER DAYS OF THE COLD WAR.

SOME POLITICAL ANALYSTS ARGUE THE SPATE OF ESPIONAGE CASES IN 
RECENT DAYS IS COINCIDENCE.  OTHERS POINT TO RUSSIA'S GROWING 
NEED FOR A STRONG NATIONALIST STANCE AT HOME, AS THE COUNTRY 
SUFFERS POLITICALLY EMBARRASSING SETBACKS ON OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS
THE EXPANSION OF NATO. (SIGNED)

NEB/EA/JWH/EH

28-Jul-97 2:15 PM EDT (1815 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.