The head of a company that makes navigation systems for Russia's space programme was arrested in Moscow and charged with major fraud, state media reported.
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TASS news agency quoted an unidentified law enforcement official as saying that Yevgeny Fomichev had been interrogated and charged with large-scale fraud, which carries a prison term of up to 10 years and a million rouble ($A16,000) fine.
TASS said Moscow's Basmanny District Court, which often handles high-profile cases, had ordered Fomichev to be held in pre-trial detention until February 21 at the request of Russia's Investigative Committee, which deals with serious crimes.
Fomichev is head of NPP Geophysics-Cosmos, a company whose website says it manufactures "optical electronic orientation and navigation devices for spacecraft". It says that almost all Russian spacecraft use its equipment.
The website includes a nine-page anti-corruption policy that says management has a key role in creating a culture of zero-tolerance towards corruption.
Russia's space programme suffered a huge setback in August when its Luna-25 spacecraft smashed into the surface of the moon while attempting to land there.
An investigation blamed a malfunction in an on-board control unit for the failure of Russia's first moon mission for 47 years.
Australian Associated Press
