( Reuters ) - The intelligence agency in Belarus, an ex-Soviet state locked in a diplomatic row with Washington, confirmed on Tuesday that a espionage ring working for the United States had been uncovered in the country.
"We hereby confirm that the information about this group being exposed is completely true," said a representative of the service, still known by its Soviet-era initials KGB. "A group conducting espionage for the United States has been uncovered."
State television, tightly controlled in the country of 10 million, had reported last weekend that a spying network made up of 10 Belarussian nationals had been exposed, but gave no details of concrete charges against them. The U.S. embassy issued a statement saying it had no spies working in Belarus.