Moscow’s Meshchansky District Court has ordered the arrest of 35-year-old scientist Maksim Kravchuk in a state treason case under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code. The reports were published by Ostorozhno, Novosti and RBC.
According to those outlets, Kravchuk was detained on June 24, his birthday, but the case became public only now. In late June, the scientist filed an appeal against the detention order.
The substance of the accusation has not been disclosed. Cases opened under Russia’s treason statute are typically handled behind closed doors and kept classified.
Ostorozhno, Novosti reported that Kravchuk works as an aerodynamics specialist at the Moscow research institute TsNIImash, which is part of Roscosmos.
The outlet Agentstvo said Kravchuk traveled to Ukraine twice in 2016–2019. No further details related to the allegations have been made public.
By the count of Ostorozhno, Novosti, Kravchuk is at least the fourth TsNIImash scientist to face treason charges since 2019. Agentstvo added that this is the seventh known case of criminal prosecution of a scientist working in the defense sector since the start of the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine.