Moscow’s Lefortovo District Court on Friday extended custody of US citizen Paul Whelan charged with Espionage until May 28.

Axar.az reports citing TASS.

"The court hereby rules to satisfy investigators’ motion to extend custody for Whelan until May 28, the judge read out the court ruling after the hearing held behind closed doors.

Whelan’s Defense Attorney Vladimir Zherebenkov told TASS that he would appeal the ruling.

US citizen Paul Whelan, 48, who also holds British, Canadian and Irish passports, is global security chief at BorgWarner, a Michigan-based automotive components company. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) earlier said Whelan had been detained on December 28, 2018, in Moscow while on a spy mission. A criminal investigation was opened against him on espionage charges carrying a punishment of up to 20 years in jail.