MOSCOW, February 10 (Itar-Tass) —— The senior engineer of the Plesetsk spaceport was sentenced to 13 years in prison for handing over state secrets to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

“The third military court pronounced a guilty verdict to an engineer of the Plesetsk spaceport Lieut. Col. Vladimir Vasilyevich Nesterets,” a source in the public relations centre of the Federal Security Service told Itar-Tass on Friday.

“During the trial Nesterets pleaded guilty for handing over the classified information about test-launches of the most advanced Russian strategic missile systems, which constitute a state secret, to the U.S. CIA for a reward,” the source said.

“Nesterets is sentenced to 13 years in a tough security prison, deprived of the military rank of lieutenant-colonel for high treason under Article 275 of the Criminal Code,” the source underlined.