Aeroflot executive detained on suspicion of passing state secrets to Britain

A London-dependent govt of flagship Russian airline Aeroflot has reportedly been detained by Russian stability companies on suspicion of passing point out techniques to Britain. 

The TASS and RIA news agencies recognized the govt as Dmitry Fedotkin, Reuters documented. He is reported to deny any wrongdoing. 

An unnamed Russian supply is cited by TASS and RIA as declaring that Dmitry Fedotkin passed techniques about Russia’s social and political circumstance to MI6.

He is reported to have experienced no accessibility to point out techniques connected to aviation. He could confront up to 20 a long time in jail if convicted of high treason. 

Information from Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court docket show it opened a point out treason case towards an individual named DA Fedotkin on Wednesday. 

According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Fedotkin has been Aeroflot’s station supervisor in Britain since October 2015 and was the airline’s United kingdom region supervisor for pretty much a few a long time ahead of that.

Aeroflot reported it did not have any data about the case, though the British embassy in Moscow referred inquiries to Russian authorities, Reuters documented.

Detaining soldiers, researchers and point out employees on suspicion of divulging point out techniques is not abnormal for Russia. 

The Federal Stability Service (FSB) very last thirty day period detained a serviceman and his brother in western Russia for acquiring allegedly passed point out techniques to Estonia. 

Mr Fedotkin’s documented detention comes as the United kingdom is set to deliver its 1st authorities minister to Moscow since 2017. 

Relations have been in the deep freeze since the March 2018 poisoning of ex-Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, allegedly by Russian agents. 

Wendy Morton, a junior Overseas Office minister, is established to fulfill Russia’s deputy international minister, resuming an once-a-year custom, while relations are not currently being normalised. 

Concerns expected to be talked about consist of the new poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who is even now recovering in Germany, as nicely as efforts to tackle climate adjust.