Washington (CNN)They weren't exactly James Bond but the three alleged Russian spies exposed by the FBI are part of the most intense effort by Russia to infiltrate agents onto American soil since the Cold War. In an affidavit unsealed in federal court on Monday, the Justice Department accused Evgeny Buryakov, also known as "Zhenya," of posing as a Russian banker in Manhattan to funnel economic intelligence to the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency. Two other Russians, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy, were ostensibly diplomats in Russia's UN mission in New York but are accused of being Buryakov's SVR handlers. While Buryakov was operating deep undercover and therefore had no diplomatic protection, the other two have immunity and have already left the the United States.
@highlight
Alleged Russian spies seem hapless but may hint at wider operation
@highlight
Arrest comes at time of sharp U.S.-Russia tensions
"Was it time to put a shot across the @placeholder bows?"