“The Federal Security Service detained Ivan Safronov, adviser to the director basic of Roscosmos condition corporation, in Moscow,” an FSB spokesperson informed Russian point out information company TASS.
“Safronov was accomplishing tasks for one of NATO’s intelligence companies, gathering state private data about Russia’s armed forces and technical cooperation, defense and protection and handing it over to its [NATO intelligence service] representative.”
Roscosmos released a assertion asserting Safronov experienced been detained on suspicion of treason and that the agency was offering guidance to the “investigating authorities.”
The assertion included Safronov’s detention was unconnected to his existing function with the company.
Safronov’s law firm Ivan Pavlov advised Russian media on Tuesday the charges “naturally” stemmed from his work as a reporter.
Having said that, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson appeared to acquire a distinct line in a convention contact on Wednesday. “I rule it out,” mentioned Dmitry Peskov, when asked if he was misled by the exclusive expert services that the “Safronov case” was unrelated to Safronov’s journalism.
“As before, we proceed from the simple fact that this is not linked with the journalistic things to do of Safronov.”
Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin informed TASS Tuesday that Safronov had no obtain to classified information and facts in the course of his time at the place company.
“He was invited to address Roscosmos functions just one and a fifty percent months back. He did not have classified information and facts clearance,” Rogozin reported.
Safronov was appointed in May perhaps to be an adviser to Rogozin, who said he experienced regarded his aide for a couple of a long time while he was even now a journalist. “I did not doubt his higher professionalism and own decency,” Rogozin included.
Safronov previously worked as a distinctive correspondent for Russia’s Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers masking armed forces, defense and place industries.
Kommersant launched a assertion defending Safronov’s professionalism and describing the accusation of treason as “absurd.”
“Ivan is not named just one of the very best journalists in the state in vain,” the newspaper explained.
“We know not only about his optimum professionalism, but also about his character. Ivan is a accurate patriot of Russia, who wrote about the army and room mainly because he sincerely cared about them. Suspicion of treason in his situation looks absurd.”
Pavlov reported tiny evidence had been submitted to help the charges. “There are no documents testifying that Ivan transferred any details to overseas citizens,” he reported.
Safronov will remain in custody for two months according to Russian state news agencies RIA-Novosti and TASS. The FSB programs to provide substantial treason expenses versus Safronov on July 13, Pavlov informed CNN on Wednesday.
“On July 13, he will be charged in the investigator’s place of work, and the next hearing will be a consideration of our attraction, which we just filed nowadays and it will be examined by the Moscow Metropolis Court docket,” Pavlov extra.
If discovered responsible, Safronov faces up to 20 several years in jail.
In accordance to the Russian monitoring team OVD-facts, at least 28 folks — some of them journalists — have been detained in Moscow for protesting from Safronov’s arrest.
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