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- heThe FSB domestic intelligence agency arrested the personality scientist Alexander Kuranov in a special operation.
- Kuranov was remanded in custody awaiting trial until October 9.
- he is He was accused of passing “secret information” related to his research to “foreign citizens.”
According to reports from Russian news organizations, Russia on Thursday arrested the head of a research institute specializing in hypersonic technology on charges of treason.
When a scientist suspected of treason was recently arrested, Russia was already ahead of other major world powers in the race to develop a series of new hypersonic weapons, which President Vladimir Putin called “invincible.”
This weapon fires projectiles at several times the speed of sound, can maneuver in flight and is difficult to evade or counterattack with conventional means.
Interfax and TASS quoted security sources as saying that hypersonic scientist Alexander Kuranov was arrested in a special operation of the FSB’s domestic intelligence agency.
The Press Office of the Lefortovsky District Court in Moscow stated that Kuranov was remanded in custody until October 9.
The 73-year-old Kuranov was accused of passing “secret information” related to his research to “foreign citizens.” The state-run RIA Novosti reported that other than that, the details of the case will not be made public.
Treason cases in Russia are usually classified as confidential, and charges in these cases are punishable by 12 to 20 years of imprisonment.
Kuranov leads a hypersonic system research and development company located in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city.
According to the biography published on the company’s website, Kuranov has authored more than 120 scientific papers and led research on hypersonic technology.
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It added that he “participates in international associations” and “handles purchase orders from many countries in the world.”
Last month, Russia successfully tested zircon, a ship-borne hypersonic missile that flies at seven times the speed of sound.
If more tests are successful, the missile will be added to the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle and the air-launched Kinzhal (dagger) missile in the Russian hypersonic arsenal.
However, there is no evidence that Kuranov was involved in the development of the missile.
His case is the latest in a wide range of Russian scientists accused of treason or leaking state secrets in recent years.
In April, Russia arrested Valery Golubkin, a professor of physics on suspicion of treason, who was mainly employed by the Zhukovsky Central Aerodynamics Institute (TsAGI).
Another TsAGI employee, Anatoly Gubanov, was arrested in December on suspicion of treason on suspicion of transferring classified information to the West.
A physicist who specializes in hypersonic aircraft.
