I thought the typical course of action for Americans caught spying in Russia and vice verse was simple expulsion as a PNG. When did that stop being a thing?
When? I’d say when we prosecuted and locked up that Russian girl who liked the NRA and shooting, wanted a second amendment for Russia, and attended prayed breakfasts and made all the political friends she could to help her achieve that goal back in Russia.
Maybe it’s more serious or Russia is looking for a bargaining chip.
Probably when DOJ started holding Russian student activists in solitary confinement for failing to file registration forms. One of the perks of Russian citizenship (other than never being extraditable to anywhere, ever) is that the Russian government will go to extreme measures to get their citizens out of trouble abroad.
When the USA started arresting Russians under questionable charges, e.g. Maria Butina.
Putin looking for some leverage against the first Alpha Male President he has had to deal with?