ST. PETERSBURG, November 20 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – Ex-employee of an operator of the Northern Fleet’s ships Yury Yeshchenko received 13 years in high-security prison for cooperating with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Security Service’s Public Relations Centre reports Friday.

The Bryansk Regional Court found the defendant guilty of treason. During the trial Yeshchenko pled guilty.

According to case papers, Yeshenko working in the organization engaged in the maintainance of the Northern Fleet vessels’ radioelectronic systems in the town of Severomorsk decided to transfer information on the advanced developments of Russia’s defense industry to the U.S. intelligence bodies.

Between 2015 and 2017, he intentionally copied secret documents concerning weapon systems used by the North Fleet. In early 2019, he contacted with the CIA. In July 2019, he was arrested by the FSB in the Bryansk Region while attempting to transfer the classified data, the statement reads.