MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. The director general of a shipyard in the northwestern Russian city of Murmansk was arrested as part of a case into embezzlement of funds allocated for repairs of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, a law enforcement source has told TASS.

The source said the official was "arrested for two months in line with a ruling by the Oktyabrsky District Court of the city of Murmansk."

Earlier, a law enforcement source told TASS about 10 searches had been carried out on the shipyard’s premises and in homes of its top managers. The searches were carried out as part of a criminal case against the enterprise’s director general, who is suspected of embezzling about 45 million rubles (about $606,300 at the current exchange rate), allocated for Admiral Kuznetsov’s repairs. His possible accomplices are currently being established, the source added.

The Project 11435 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is designed to gain superiority at sea and in the air in the areas of the fleet’s operation to ensure the navy’s combat sustainability, deliver air strikes against enemy targets and support troops’ landing operations.

The warship entered service in 1990. It displaces 58,000 tonnes and has a length of 304.5 meters. The aircraft carrier has a full speed capacity of 200,000 horsepower and develops a speed of up to 30 knots. Apart from the air task force of 24-26 fighter jets and 12 helicopters, the Admiral Kuznetsov is armed with anti-ship and air defense missile systems. The warship is equipped with a ski-jump and two aircraft elevators. It has a crew of 1,300 while the air group’s personnel numbers 660 men.