MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2020) Ivan Safronov � a former journalist covering defense and space topics, currently an adviser to the head of the Russian space corporation Roscosmos � is expected to be given a notice of formal charges on Monday, July 13, lawyer Sergey Badamshin told Sputnik.
Safronov was detained earlier in the day in Moscow. The Russian Federal Security Service suspects him of handing classified defense information to NATO. The former journalist denies the treason charges.
"The investigation plans to bring the indictment against Ivan Safronov on Monday," Badamshin said.
Roscosmos said that the detention was not related to Safronov's work for the space agency. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, said that the detention did not appear to be connected to Safronov's work as a journalist.
