YEKATERINBURG, June 13. /TASS/. Federal Security Service (FSB) officers in Russia’s Sverdlovsk Region have opened a state secret violation case against a former worker of one of the leading facilities of Rosatom’s nuclear weapons complex, the regional FSB branch said in a statement.

"For 16 years, the 55-year-old man worked at the Electrokhimpribor plant in a position involving work with data, the disclosure of which can harm Russia’s internal and external security. After his dismissal, he was temporarily banned from leaving the country until April 2023. He was informed of this and signed the necessary documents. However, the man ignored the ban and made an attempt to leave for the Republic of Abkhazia in January, which was prevented by intelligence officers," the statement reads.

The FSB added that the case was being investigated under Article 30.3 and Article 283.2.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (an attempt to leave the Russian Federation by Russian citizens with current or previous access to state secrets, whose right to leave Russia is restricted under the law and of which they are aware). The defendant may face up to three years in prison.

The Electrokhimpribor facility specializes in the production of nuclear munitions for the Russian Armed Forces. It is part of the Rosatom State Nuclear Corporation’s nuclear weapons complex, which, along with Russia’s defense industry facilities, ensures the implementation of the country’s nuclear deterrence policy and includes nuclear centers in Sarov (the Nizhny Novgorod Region) and Snezhinsk (the Chelyabinsk Region), the Mayak production facility in Ozersk (the Chelyabinsk Region), and an instrument-making plant in Trekhgorny (the Chelyabinsk Region).