Russian authorities have detained a French national, Laurent Vinatier, in Moscow on suspicion of gathering intelligence on Russian military activities. Vinatier, employed as a consultant at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, was charged with failing to register as a "foreign agent." The center confirmed his detention and is working to secure his release. This incident adds to a list of foreign citizens held in Russia since the Ukraine invasion, raising concerns about the safety of Western journalists and researchers in the country. There are fears that these detentions could be used as leverage in diplomatic negotiations between Russia and Western nations.