A Russian court has sentenced a former manager at Russian flagship airline Aeroflot’s British office to 13 years in prison for treason, state media reported Tuesday.
Dmitry Fedotkin, an Aeroflot country and station manager in London since 2012, faced a maximum sentence of 20 years when he was arrested in November 2020. He has maintained his innocence.
The Moscow City Court found Fedotkin guilty of high treason and sentenced him to 13 years in a maximum-security penal colony, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
Fedotkin was also fined 300,000 rubles ($5,000).
The sentence originally handed down on Aug. 13 was not made public for three months, RIA Novosti reported.
The court reportedly rejected his appeal on Nov. 2, meaning the jail sentence went into effect two weeks ago.
The trial was held behind closed doors and details of the criminal case were not publicized due to their involving state secrets.
Fedotkin’s wife suspects that his rivals were behind the case against him, RIA Novosti cited a member of Russia’s state prison watchdog as saying.
The former Aeroflot employee joins a list of civil servants, scientists, journalists and other figures who have been charged or imprisoned for treason in recent years.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
