Russian investigators completed their criminal investigation into the case of alleged espionage by the Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Oct. 21 citing defender Mark Feygin.
Sushchenko and Feygin have already begun studying 10 volumes of the classified case. “The case is ordinary. We disagree with its content and conclusions of the investigation,” Feygin said.
He added that by the end of November the case would be sent to the Prosecutor General‘s Office. “It is likely that the trial at Moscow City Court will take place in the beginning of next year and behind closed doors,” Feygin said.
Ukrainian citizen Roman Sushchenko worked as a France correspondent for Ukrainian newswire Ukrinform. He was detained in Moscow on Sept. 30, 2016, on charges of espionage. Russian Security Services (FSB) claimed that Suschenko had worked for Ukrainian intelligence and collected information on Russian armed forces and the National Guard.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and Sushchenko himself have denied the allegations. Official Kyiv insists that Suschenko has been illegally held by Russian regime on politically motivated and far-fetched charges similarly to Ukrainian journalist Stanislav Aseyev and Ukrainian filmmaker and activist Oleg Sentsov.
In September Moscow City Court extended the arrest of Sushchenko for two months until Nov. 30.
