An adviser to the chief of Russia's Roskosmos state space agency, Ivan Safronov Jr., has been detained on a charge of high treason.

Roskosmos's press service said that Safronov, who is also a former noted journalist, was detained on July 7 and added that the high treason charge he faces is not related to his position at the space agency.

The RIA news agency quoted the FSB Security Service as saying that Safronov worked for the foreign intelligence service of an unspecified NATO country and had been handing over classified military information.

The TASS news agency reported on July 7 that, because of the classified nature of some materials involved in the case, the court will hold proceedings behind closed doors.