The head of the scientific and technical service (NTS) of the FSB – Russian intelligence – Colonel General Eduard Chernovoltsev has been fired. This was reported by the investigative journalistic portal The Insider, citing secret service sources.
According to the online edition, the torpedoing took place in mid-December, but the news has only now been confirmed.
General Chernovoltsev headed the 8th FSB Directorate (information protection), the Special Equipment Center and the FSB Special Communications Directorate. In addition, Chernovoltsev headed the FSB Research Institute-2, the so-called “poison factory”, where, according to numerous investigations, poisons were developed and whose employees participated in the poisoning of such opposition figures as Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Kara-Murza and the writer Dmitry Bykov.
According to the official version, Chernovoltsev was sent into retirement upon reaching age, although an FSB officer of this level is usually allowed to serve up to 70 years.
According to The Insider’s source within the FSB, the Kremlin was extremely unhappy with the growing number of database data leaks, which allowed journalists to publish investigative reports, including those of Putin’s close associates.
