Russian ex-engineer jailed for spying on satellite tech for US

A former employee of a Russian enterprise has been arrested in Kaliningrad on charges of treason, accused of passing sensitive information to US intelligence agencies, including classified details about satellite engine production. The man, identified only as “O.”, will remain in custody until September 30, 2025.

According to Caliber.Az, the arrest was reported on the official Telegram channel of the Kaliningrad Regional Court.

“The investigator submitted a request to the Central District Court to impose a preventive measure in the form of detention against O., who is charged with committing a crime under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (treason),” the court statement read. “By the decision of the Central District Court, the accused O. has been remanded in custody until September 30, 2025.”

Investigators allege that in the summer of 2020, the accused entered into a covert agreement with a foreign company acting on behalf of the US federal government and various American defence agencies.

Under this agreement, he was tasked with gathering and transmitting information—including classified data—related to the production of electronic engines used for in-orbit correction of space satellites at the plant where he had previously worked.

“Between July 2021 and December 2023, while acting on assignments from US special services, O. collected and stored technical information on the engine manufacturing process at the plant, with the intention of handing it over to a foreign entity,” the court’s statement added.