Eric Kraus misinforms when he accuses "Mr Ostrovsky" of misinforming readers over the check-ups on some Russians who liaise with some foreigners alluded to in last week's Economist, for two reasons. First, Mr Ostrovsky is not yet writing for The Economist. Second, while I wish it were not, I am afraid that the trend we described is, alas, real. Mr Kraus (and everybody else) is entitled to disagree with our judgements, but to suggest that we are guilty of fabrication is wrong and intolerable.

Andrew Miller
The Economist