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Roscosmos advisor suspected of handing over confidential data to NATO

The charges carry a punishment of 20 years behind bars, according to the Federal Security Service

© Russian Federal Security Service/TASS

MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. Advisor to the head of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, Ivan Safronov is suspected of communicating confidential state information to a representative of one of NATO’s intelligence services and was arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the FSB public relations office told TASS.

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Advisor to Roscosmos CEO apprehended on suspicion of treason

"The Federal Security Service detained Ivan Safronov, advisor to the director general of Roscosmos state corporation, in Moscow. Safronov was performing tasks of one of NATO intelligence services, collecting state confidential data about Russia’s military and technical cooperation, defense and security and handing it over to its [NATO intelligence service] representative," the FSB said.

Prosecution launched criminal proceedings on the count of state treason against Safronov, which carries 20 years behind bars. The FSB added that the investigation continues. Earlier, Roscosmos informed that Safronov had been arrested.

Safronov was born in Moscow in 1990. He graduated from Moscow’s Higher School of Economics in 2010, obtaining a degree in journalism. He worked as a special correspondent for Russia’s Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers and was covering military and military-technical cooperation as well as defense and space industries. In May 2020, Safronov was appointed advisor to the Roscosmos chief for information policy and was curating a number of Roscosmos programs.

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