MOSCOW, April 24 (RAPSI) – A criminal investigation has been opened into the alleged embezzlement of 300 million rubles ($5.8 million) allocated for the construction of road at the Vostochny Cosmodrome site in Russia's Far East, the Interior Ministry reported on Friday.

“A contract was signed in October 2014 to build roads for infrastructure facilities at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The contractor received 300 million rubles ($5.8 million) in advance payment but did not start building roads and did not return the money,” the statement says.

Investigators are working to establish the circumstances of the case and the suspects involved in the embezzlement.

A criminal case has been opened under an article on large-scale embezzlement of property entrusted to the embezzler.

In 2012, the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome began near Uglegorsk in the Amur Region in the Russian Far East. The first carrier rocket is planned to be launched this year, and the first manned mission is scheduled for 2018. The facility is to be finished by November 30, 2015.

The management of the construction company Dalspetsstroy has repeatedly reported that the project was behind schedule at some sites but promised to catch up soon. Dalspetsstroy’s director was fired in 2013, when it was found that the government had not received complete information about the delays.