FBI fury at ‘Russian agent’ given refugee status in UK with his family

An alleged Russian spy is living in the UK with his family after using the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Furious FBI officials in the US ­are demanding an explanation from their British counterparts.

The intelligence and crime-fighting body believes the wealthy Ukrainian businessman has worked for Russia’s FSB agency, according to a secret cache of leaked documents.

One security source who has investigated the alleged agent said: “He shouldn’t be a free man. He ­has Russian intelligence service connections.”

The Ukrainian has long been involved in Russian businesses, but it was his dealings with US politicians that sparked closer FBI interest. He is named in a detailed four-year investigation by US agencies into allegations of “cyber threats, domestic terrorism and malign foreign influence”.

Federal agents have also investigated suspicions he was an associate of a known FSB agent previously indicted in the US for money laundering and sanctions evasion.

FBI agents say the tycoon could also be a middle man for two other Ukrainian businessmen – both of whom are sanctioned in the US for “significant corruption”.

Within days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year, documents show the man fled the country to travel to the UK.

The wealthy businessman had ­initially been granted a UK investment visa – a key condition of which being that he hold a UK bank account for the purpose of investing at least £2million in the UK. But in 2017 he received a visa allowing him indefinite leave to remain.

He then used the Govern­ment’s flagship relocation programme to bring his family over. A source said that at ­ the time, the Government was ­facing “inexplicable pressure” to clear as many applications as possible.

In response to a list of questions to the suspected FSB agent, sent by ­ a reporter from a newspaper, the businessman insisted he knew “nothing” about the FBI’s assessment of him. He added: “There is nothing to comment on, because it is not true.”

He said after the Russian invasion, “in order to ensure the safety of ­ my children, as well as organise ­ the delivery of humanitarian and ­logistical assistance to the Ukrainian defence forces in Ukraine, I left Ukraine.”

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