Former Director of Khrunichev Space Center Sentenced Over $4.5M in Damages

A court in Moscow has sentenced in absentia former director general of the Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Center, Andrei Kalinovsky, to seven years in prison, finding him guilty of causing nearly 400 million rubles in damages to the enterprise, RIA Novosti reports. The verdict was delivered in the absence of the defendant, who has been placed on an international wanted list. According to some reports, he is currently living in Cyprus. Kalinovsky headed the space center from 2014 to 2017. Abuse of Authority and Questionable Contracts The court established that he exceeded his official powers while serving first as acting director general and later as the head of the center. Kalinovsky concluded contracts that were unfavorable for the enterprise with the company Sandvik for the supply of several thousand items, including carbide tools and industrial equipment. At the same time, there was no actual need for these purchases.