Executives at Russia's Energia space company charged with attempted fraud
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 19 August 2018 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Executives at Russia's Energia space company charged with attempted fraud, 19 August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5bc052c4a.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 19, 2018 22:49 GMT
A space shuttle orbiter using an Energia rocket as a launch vehicle sits on the launch pad in the 1980s.
The deputy director and two other top executives of Russia's Energia Rocket and Space Corporation have been arrested on suspicion of attempted fraud, investigators say.
"Energia's deputy director, Aleksei Beloborodov, and two of his subordinates were arrested and charged with attempted fraud," the Investigative Committee of Russia said on August 19.
Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported that Beloborodov has been working with Energia since 2016 and served in the military for 13 years prior to that.
Energia, a major player in Russia's space industry, designs and manufactures the Soyuz and Progress spacecrafts and also produces ballistic missiles.
The Investigative Committee statement said the arrests were made as part of a probe undertaken "with the active assistance" of the Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the country's main intelligence agency.
Russian media reported that the FSB carried out several searches targeting the Russian space industry as part of an investigation into "high treason."
Russian daily Kommersant said a dozen Russian space industry employees are suspected of having sent classified information about Russian hypersonic weapon projects to Western security services.
Investigators did not mention those accusations in the statement on August 19, only that the charges are in reference to an alleged "attempt at fraud by an organized group in an especially large amount."
Based on reporting by AFP and TASS
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
