Russian hacker wanted by U.S. tells court he worked for Putin's partyMOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian hacker arrested in Spain on a U.S. warrant said on Thursday he previously worked for President Vladimir Putin s United Russia party and feared he would be tortured and killed if extradited, RIA news agency reported. Peter Levashov was arrested while on holiday in Barcelona in April. U.S. prosecutors later charged him with hacking offences, accusing him of operating a network of tens of thousands of infected computers used by cyber criminals. Levashov s comments offered a rare glimpse into the relationship between cyber criminals and the Russian state. U.S. officials say Russian authorities routinely shield hackers from prosecution abroad before recruiting them for espionage work. Russian hackers have been under intense scrutiny since U.S. intelligence officials accused Moscow of interfering in last year s U.S. presidential election. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the allegations.   U.S. prosecutors are seeking a 52-year jail sentence and Levashov, who denies the charges against him, is fighting his extradition from Spain. He told a court in Madrid on Thursday that he had worked for the United Russia party for the last 10 years.  I collected different information about opposition parties and delivered it to the necessary people at the necessary time,  RIA quoted him as saying. Levashov provided no further details about his work for the party, RIA reported, though said he was an officer in the Russian army with access to classified information.  It was unclear if Levashov was a serving officer or an army reservist having completed mandatory military service.  He also told the court investigators in the United States would torture him for information about his political work if he was sent there to face the charges against him.  If I go to the U.S., I will die in a year. They want to get information of a military nature and about the United Russia party,  RIA quoted him as saying.  I will be tortured, within a year I will be killed, or I will kill myself.  Levashov has long been seen by cyber security investigators to be the person behind an online persona known as Peter Severa. Severa spent years listed among the world s 10 most prolific spammers, according to spam-tracking group Spamhaus. U.S. prosecutors have accused Levashov of running the infamous Kelihos botnet, a network of more than 100,000 infected devices used by cyber criminals to distribute viruses, ransomware, phishing emails and other spam attacks. Russia lodged its own request for Levashov s extradition last week, RIA reported. worldnews
russian hacker wanted tells court worked putin partymoscow reuters a russian hacker arrested spain warrant said thursday previously worked president vladimir putin united russia party feared would tortured killed extradited ria news agency reported peter levashov arrested holiday barcelona april prosecutors later charged hacking offences accusing operating network tens thousands infected computers used cyber criminals levashov comments offered rare glimpse relationship cyber criminals russian state officials say russian authorities routinely shield hackers prosecution abroad recruiting espionage work russian hackers intense scrutiny since intelligence officials accused moscow interfering last year presidential election the kremlin repeatedly denied allegations prosecutors seeking jail sentence levashov denies charges fighting extradition spain he told court madrid thursday worked united russia party last years i collected different information opposition parties delivered necessary people necessary time ria quoted saying levashov provided details work party ria reported though said officer russian army access classified information it unclear levashov serving officer army reservists completed mandatory military service he also told court investigators united states would torture information political work sent face charges if i go i die year they want get information military nature united russia party ria quoted saying i tortured within year i killed i kill levashov long seen cyber security investigators person behind online persona known peter several several spent years listed among world prolific spammers according group spamhaus prosecutors accused levashov running infamous kelihos bonnet network infected devices used cyber criminals distribute viruses ransomware phishing emails spam attacks russia lodged request levashov extradition last week ria reported worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Russian hacker wanted by U.S. tells court he worked for Putin's partyMOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian hacker arrested in Spain on a U.S. warrant said on Thursday he previously worked for President Vladimir Putin s United Russia party and feared he would be tortured and killed if extradited, RIA news agency reported. Peter Levashov was arrested while on holiday in Barcelona in April. U.S. prosecutors later charged him with hacking offences, accusing him of operating a network of tens of thousands of infected computers used by cyber criminals. Levashov s comments offered a rare glimpse into the relationship between cyber criminals and the Russian state. U.S. officials say Russian authorities routinely shield hackers from prosecution abroad before recruiting them for espionage work. Russian hackers have been under intense scrutiny since U.S. intelligence officials accused Moscow of interfering in last year s U.S. presidential election. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the allegations.   U.S. prosecutors are seeking a 52-year jail sentence and Levashov, who denies the charges against him, is fighting his extradition from Spain. He told a court in Madrid on Thursday that he had worked for the United Russia party for the last 10 years.  I collected different information about opposition parties and delivered it to the necessary people at the necessary time,  RIA quoted him as saying. Levashov provided no further details about his work for the party, RIA reported, though said he was an officer in the Russian army with access to classified information.  It was unclear if Levashov was a serving officer or an army reservist having completed mandatory military service.  He also told the court investigators in the United States would torture him for information about his political work if he was sent there to face the charges against him.  If I go to the U.S., I will die in a year. They want to get information of a military nature and about the United Russia party,  RIA quoted him as saying.  I will be tortured, within a year I will be killed, or I will kill myself.  Levashov has long been seen by cyber security investigators to be the person behind an online persona known as Peter Severa. Severa spent years listed among the world s 10 most prolific spammers, according to spam-tracking group Spamhaus. U.S. prosecutors have accused Levashov of running the infamous Kelihos botnet, a network of more than 100,000 infected devices used by cyber criminals to distribute viruses, ransomware, phishing emails and other spam attacks. Russia lodged its own request for Levashov s extradition last week, RIA reported. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: russian hacker wanted tells court worked putin partymoscow reuters a russian hacker arrested spain warrant said thursday previously worked president vladimir putin united russia party feared would tortured killed extradited ria news agency reported peter levashov arrested holiday barcelona april prosecutors later charged hacking offences accusing operating network tens thousands infected computers used cyber criminals levashov comments offered rare glimpse relationship cyber criminals russian state officials say russian authorities routinely shield hackers prosecution abroad recruiting espionage work russian hackers intense scrutiny since intelligence officials accused moscow interfering last year presidential election the kremlin repeatedly denied allegations prosecutors seeking jail sentence levashov denies charges fighting extradition spain he told court madrid thursday worked united russia party last years i collected different information opposition parties delivered necessary people necessary time ria quoted saying levashov provided details work party ria reported though said officer russian army access classified information it unclear levashov serving officer army reservists completed mandatory military service he also told court investigators united states would torture information political work sent face charges if i go i die year they want get information military nature united russia party ria quoted saying i tortured within year i killed i kill levashov long seen cyber security investigators person behind online persona known peter several several spent years listed among world prolific spammers according group spamhaus prosecutors accused levashov running infamous kelihos bonnet network infected devices used cyber criminals distribute viruses ransomware phishing emails spam attacks russia lodged request levashov extradition last week ria reported worldnews