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Bloomberg
Russian prosecutors asked for an 18 year sentence for former US Marine Paul Whelan, who is on trial in Moscow accused of spying, Interfax news agency reported, citing his lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov.
Whelan denies the allegations and claims he was set up by a Federal Security Service major who owed him 100,000 rubles ($1,400). He has been detained in Russia for 17 months on the spy charges, which carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Senior Russian officials have proposed swapping Whelan for a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into
the US.
Sentencing will be held on June 15, Interfax reported, citing Zherebenkov.