MOSCOW, April 30 (RAPSI) - A former Russian Air Force general is facing trial in the Moscow Region for abuse of office leading to upwards of 22 billion rubles ($710 million) in damages to the environment, the Investigative Committee announced Tuesday.

Colonel-General Yuri Solovyov headed a military unit that was responsible for the air defense of Moscow and Russia's central industrial area.

According to investigators, he signed agreements with a private company allegedly aimed at soil remediation, while not being authorized to do so. The service was to be performed in the area where a military unit was stationed in the Moscow Region.

In reality, the area was given to the company for use as a household waste landfill. Moreover, the landfill grew from 4 to 20 hectares over the six years under Solovyov's surveillance.

He now faces up to 10 years in prison.