The Lebanese Military Tribunal has acquitted a Russian citizen who was involved in her husband's case, convicted of "espionage for Israel," according to RIA Novosti.
The report states that employees of the Russian Embassy helped demonstrate that the Russian woman was not engaged in espionage.
The couple, along with their baby, were detained by Lebanese security forces at the end of July 2023.
In August, the local newspaper Al-Akhbar, linked to Hezbollah, reported, citing its source, that a Russian couple was detained at Beirut International Airport while attempting to leave the country.
"A hearing was held in early February regarding the Chaikin couple. The court acquitted the woman, treating her as an accomplice in her husband's crime. This marks the first time we've seen diplomats from any country at such a high level protect the interests of their citizens and save a baby," said an RIA Novosti source.
According to the source, Chaikin's husband was sentenced by a military tribunal to eight years in prison for "spying for Israel."
"On Saturday (February 17), the woman and her daughter left Lebanon and safely returned to their homeland. For over six months, Russian diplomats maintained close contact and negotiations, including with Hezbollah leadership, army command representatives, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry head, and our country's intelligence services," added the RIA Novosti source.
It is worth noting that in August of last year, the Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that the detained Russian claimed he was recruited by Israeli intelligence and instructed to go to Lebanon.
He allegedly possessed maps marking Hezbollah targets and had visited Dahiya in the south of Beirut multiple times, comparing the gathered material with Israeli data. It was claimed that the Russian's wife was aware of his mission and assisted him.
The names of those detained on suspicion of espionage in Lebanon were circulated on social media: Yuri Chaikin and Liliya (or Alexandra, according to another version) Chaikina.
