Moscow military courts begins trial in absentia of ex-SVR colonel

MOSCOW, May 16 (Itar-Tass) - The Moscow district military court on
Monday begins the trial in absentia of the former colonel of the SVR
foreign intelligence service, Alexander Poteyev, who exposed Russian spy
ring, including Anna Chapman, the court's spokeswoman, Ludmila Klimenko,
told Itar-Tass.
The trial will take place behind the closed doors as the case was
taken to the court as secret.
The court would try Poteyev's case in absentia, as he fled Russia and
according to the media reports stayed abroad.
In early May the Federal Security Service made public the infromation
that it had completed an investigation into the case.
"The investigative department of the Federal Security Service
completed the investigation into the criminal case on charges of high
treason by divulging state secrets and desertion brought against Russian
citizen Alexander Poteyev," the FSB press service said.
"After the chief military prosecutor's office brought an indictment,
the criminal case was handed over to the Moscow district military court on
April 21 for a trial procedure," the source said.
According to the media reports, last June Poteyev fled to the United
States and gave away Russia's spy ring to the U.S. special services.
In case of his guilt is proved he may face up to 20 years in prison.
In late June of 2010 the U.S. Department of Justice made public the
information that ten Russian spies were arrested and another one was put
on a wanted list.
The scandal triggered the biggest spy swap since the Cold War - ten
Russian spies were deported to Russia in exchange for four prisoners
convicted of foreign espionage in Russia.
President Dmitry Medvedev ordered an internal investigation at the SVR
foreign intelligence service.