MOSCOW, November 22 (RAPSI) – A court has invalidated the deal to sell Northern Fleet facilities allegedly made by Yevgenia Vasilyeva, who is involved in the high-profile Oboronservis case, the Military Prosecutor's Office announced on Friday.

“In 2012, acting on orders from Ms. Vasilyeva, then head of the Defense Ministry's Property Department, the Material Warehouse of the Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District sold facilities of major importance for the Northern Fleet to an external party for 455 million rubles ($14 million), which was at least 250 million rubles ($7.5 million) below the facilities' balance cost,” the prosecutor's office said.

The court invalidated the deal, citing violations of the approved procedure.

Vasilyeva has been charged as part of a fraud case involving the illegal sales of property, land and shares belonging to the subsidiaries of the state-run Oboronservice holding company. She faces up to six years in prison.

In late October 2012, Vasilyeva's apartment was searched during an investigation into the sale of state property at prices below their market value. Investigators seized antiques, jewelry, and 3 million rubles ($90,860 at the current exchange rate).

Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov was dismissed amid a corruption scandal that ensued in November 2012 to ensure the impartiality of the criminal investigation. He has so far been summoned for questioning as a witness in embezzlement cases linked to Oboronservis.

Oboronservis comprises service companies involved in armaments and military vehicle repair and maintenance, construction materials and food production, power facilities operation, cartography and printing goods production, and housing management services for military towns.