Head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Scientific and Technical Service Eduard Chernovoltsev has been fired, The Insider reports, citing sources from within the services.
Chernvoltsev headed the FSB’s Scientific and Research Institute-2 which develops various poisons, The Insider claims. According to its investigation, the institute employees can be tied to the development of substances used to poison Russian politicians Alexey Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza as well as poet Dmitry Bykov.
Chernovoltsev also was in charge of several other FSB agencies.
He was officially dismissed upon reaching the age of retirement. However, The Insider notes that officers of this level normally are allowed to stay in their posts until 70.
One of the outlet’s sources claims that in reality the Kremlin was dissatisfied with frequent database leaks which reporters used for their investigation. “Two years ago Eduard Chernovoltsev swore to the country’s leadership that he would nip all leaks in the bud. However, it is practically impossible in our system that is full of holes,” an FSB officer who was not named told The Insider.
A Scientific and Technical Service employee told the outlet that Chernovoltsev used to live in Kyiv for a long time and was “very upset about the beginning of the military operation in Ukraine”. He allegedly “said on numerous occasions that it all had gone too far” among his friends.
RBC also reported that Chernovoltsev was sacked, citing a source on the IT market and one close to the FSB.
On 7 December, Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting with the Human Rights Council where he said that the responsibility for personal data leaks could become stricter in the country.
Kommersant said yesterday that Russia’s Digital Ministry had drafted a bill on corresponding fines which would range from 5 to 500 million rubles (€66,000-6.6 million).
