A Russian court on Monday convicted a French citizen of collecting military information and sentenced him to three years in prison.

Laurent Vinatier, who was arrested in Moscow in June, earlier admitted guilt, setting the stage for a fast-tracked trial. His lawyers’ asked the court to sentence him to a fine. In his remarks before the verdict, Vinatier reaffirmed that he fully recognized his guilt and asked the judge for clemency.

“I’m asking the Russian Federation to forgive me for failing to observe Russian laws,” he said.

France’s Foreign Ministry described Vinatier’s sentence as “extremely severe” and called for his immediate release.

Vinatier’s arrest came as tensions flared between Moscow and Paris following French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments about the possibility of deploying French troops in Ukraine. Russian authorities accused Vinatier of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s “military and military-technical activities.”

– The Associated Press