Russia detains three hypersonic rocket scientists on treason charges despite outcry

Three of Vladimir Putin’s leading hypersonic scientists have been arrested on suspicion of high treason in what fellow scientists have called a ‘witch hunt’

Aerodynamics specialist Dr. Valery Zvegintsev, 78, is the latest of three prominent scientists from the Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Novosibirsk to be arrested on very serious charges.

Zvegintsev, 78, is credited with Anatoly Maslov and Alexander Shiplyuk as key figures in the development of Russia’s hypersonic weapons program, believed to be one of the most advanced in the world.

News of their detention on charges of high treason comes days after a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s capital was largely ineffective, with Ukrainian officials claiming their US-supplied Patriot air defense system succeeded in destroying several of Moscow’s Kinzhal – or ‘Dagger’ – hypersonic missiles. missiles, which Putin once boasted were “unstoppable.”

And their institution has protested the arrests, claiming the men were prosecuted for normal scientific activities, such as giving presentations and participating in international conferences and projects, and publishing articles in major journals.

Anatoly Maslov and Alexander Shiplyuk, also from the institute, were detained last year

Explosion of a missile is seen in the skies above the city during a Russian missile strike, amid the Russian attack on Ukraine, in Kiev, Ukraine, May 16, 2023

The Ukrainian air defense system fires at approaching missiles

Launch of the Russian Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in April 2022

Zvegintsev founded the Aero Gas Dynamics Laboratory of the Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, which deals with hypersonic technologies, and, despite his advanced age, still worked full-time until his detention.

His April arrest, which has only just been revealed by the Kremlin, has sparked backlash from fellow scientists who accused the FSB security service of a witch hunt.

An open letter from the institute states: ‘In the past year, three outstanding aerodynamic scientists from our institute – Anatoly Maslov, Alexander Shiplyuk and Valery Zvegintsev – have been arrested on suspicion of committing a crime under the most severe article of the penal code – ‘high treason’…

‘They are all known for their brilliant scientific achievements.

‘Thanks to their competences and professional reputation, they were able to find highly paid and prestigious jobs abroad.

“But they did not leave their homeland and devoted their lives to serving Russian science.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was aware of the Siberian scientists’ open letter in defense of the three men, but concluded the matter was a matter for the security services and declined to comment further.

Ukraine claimed to have downed several Kinzhal missiles earlier this week

Earlier this week, Ukrainian air defense batteries were launched to intercept missiles over Kiev

Valery Zvegintsev can be seen in these undated photos from the Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Novosibirsk

Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Novosibirsk

Russian MiG-31 is depicted with a hypersonic Kinzhal missile

Russia is a pioneer of hypersonic missiles and is seen as having an advantage over Western missile arsenals.

The deployment of such missiles, like the famous Kinzhal, has been confirmed in Ukraine, although Moscow uses them sparingly.

Ukraine’s upgraded air defense systems, operating with a mix of Soviet-era and Western-supplied technologies, have proven effective in knocking down many of Russia’s missile strikes.

Zvegintsev’s detention comes months after the previous arrests of Maslov and Shiplyuk, both of whom are currently held in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison.

Shiplyuk, 56, and Maslov, 76, were both detained in a pair of swoops conducted by Russia’s FSB domestic intelligence agency.

Another scientist and laser physics expert, Dmitry Kolker, was previously imprisoned in Lefortovo despite stage four cancer and died in custody last year.

An earlier open letter from the Novosibirsk institute condemned the arrests of Shiplyuk and Maslov, arguing that such action would serve only to drive young Russian scientists out of the profession.

“What we are rewarded for today and held up as an example to others will become grounds for criminal prosecution tomorrow.

“In this situation, it is simply impossible for our institute, the only academic organization in the country with an extensive base for experimental and numerical aerodynamic research, to operate.”

Alexander Shiplyuk (right) is pictured at a conference in China in 2018. He was arrested last year on suspicion of treason

The Russian Kinzhal missile is carried by a fast MiG jet

Another notable person currently being held in Lefortovo is US citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, 31, who was arrested in March on alleged espionage charges for which he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Gershkovich is the first US Moscow correspondent to be detained by Russia on espionage charges since the Cold War.

His family and the newspaper strongly deny that he was looking for classified information.

“The FSB and Putin see enemies everywhere,” said a former Moscow diplomat.

Separately, human rights organization OVD-Info says that nearly 20,000 people have been detained for resisting the war.

Hundreds, including children, have been prosecuted.