"The charge relates to false statements Flynn made to the FBI on Jan. 24 — four days after President Trump was inaugurated — about his conversations with Kislyak during the transition.

"Flynn is accused of making false statements to the FBI about asking the ambassador in late December to 'refrain from escalating the situation in response to sanctions that the United States had imposed on Russia that same day.' Flynn also told authorities he did not recall the ambassador 'subsequently telling him that Russia has chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of his request,' according to a court filing. That would suggest there was a second, previously unknown contact between Flynn and Kislyak.

"Separately, authorities say Flynn lied about asking the ambassador to delay a vote on United Nations Security Council resolutions."