{
  "id": 17101037,
  "title": "Russia opens treason case against 76-year-old former Communist faction leader over alleged Ukrainian intelligence ties",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/russia-opens-treason-case-against-76-year-old-former-communist",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-29T18:16:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/29/russia-opens-treason-case-against-76-year-old-former-communist-faction-leader-over-alleged-ukrainian-intelligence-ties"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia, a 76-year-old former Communist faction leader named Gennady Stepakhno is currently under criminal investigation for treason. The FSB alleges that Stepakhno, a vocal opponent of the ongoing special military operation, cooperated with Ukrainian intelligence by collecting documents about the Murmansk regional government's operations and undisclosed engineering facilities and sharing them with Ukrainian military intelligence. The agency believes that this information could potentially be used to compromise Russia's security. The investigation into Stepakhno is believed to have begun after he shared information with a relative abroad regarding a pharmaceutical plant being constructed in the Murmansk region, with India's involvement. A court has already ordered Stepakhno to be held in pretrial detention since October 9th. He had previously served four terms as a lawmaker in the Murmansk Regional Duma from 2007 to 2026, leading the Communist Party faction, but did not participate in the new term.",
  "summary": "Gennady Stepakhno, a former deputy speaker of the Murmansk Regional Duma, is under criminal investigation for treason, the regional branch of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said.",
  "key_points": [
    "76-year-old Gennady Stepakhno faces treason charges in Russia.",
    "Stepakhno allegedly cooperated with Ukrainian intelligence.",
    "Investigation began after sharing information with relative abroad."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "Ukrainian Navy says it destroyed two Su-34s in Russia with Neptune strike",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/ukrainian-navy-says-it-destroyed-two-su-34s-in-russia-with-neptune",
        "published": "2026-10-29T17:13:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}