Russian federal agents detain a celebrated scientist for leaking hypersonic weapons intel to the West

Police have detained 74-yr-old scientist Viktor Kudryavtsev at the Central Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering (TsNIIMash) who allegedly passed secret intelligence about Russia’s hypersonic weapons program to operatives in a NATO country. Charged with treason, Kudryavtsev maintains his innocence. Another 12 people are reportedly being investigated in the case, but police have detained no one else, so far. Kudryavtsev’s arrest will likely lead to more scrutiny from Roscosmos and possibly a change in TsNIIMash’s official status.

Viktor Kudryavtsev is one of TsNIIMash’s leading researchers, the author of many scientific publications, and a government prize laureate. In February 2017, Kudryavtsev was one of the scientists who signed a public letter asking President Putin to pardon now-77-year-old Vladimir Lapygin, a TsNIIMash scientist sentenced to seven years in prison for treason.

Where have you already heard about Russian hypersonic weapons? The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (“Dagger”) nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile is one of the futuristic weapons Vladimir Putin mentioned in his March 2018 address to the Federal Assembly, where he showcased several dazzlingly deadly tools in Russia’s military arsenal.