New Zealand`s intelligence agency has cast doubt on Russian claims that it recruited a Russian citizen to gather sensitive information, following Moscow`s announcement that it had arrested an alleged spy.
Russia`s Federal Security Service (FSB) said a man from the southeastern city of Khabarovsk had been detained after allegedly passing information to New Zealand`s Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS).
According to the FSB, the Russian citizen had initiated contact with New Zealand`s intelligence agency before being persuaded to collect and share information that could harm Russia`s national security.
Responding to the allegations on Tuesday, the NZSIS declined to comment on what it described as potential operational matters but questioned the credibility of the claims.
"It should also be noted that Russian state media are often not the most reliable source of accurate reporting," the agency said in a statement.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also avoided commenting directly on the case, saying it was longstanding practice not to discuss intelligence matters publicly.
New Zealand is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance alongside the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
Alexander Gillespie, a foreign affairs expert at the University of Waikato, urged caution over Russia`s allegations, saying they should be treated "with a large bucket of salt."
He noted that New Zealand has historically been the target of espionage rather than an active intelligence operator against Russia.
"The history is of Russia spying on us, not the other way around," Gillespie told AFP.
He added that the arrest could become a high-profile case used by Moscow to discredit the New Zealand government and warned that bilateral relations could deteriorate further if tensions escalate.
Relations between the two countries have already been strained, with New Zealand joining other Western nations in imposing sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
