Biography
2014-2018
In September 2014, Vladimir Solntsev was approved by the president of RSC Energia. Later, the position of president was renamed the general director.
In early July 2018, Vladimir Solntsev, General Director of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, wrote a letter of resignation of his own free will. He left office on August 3.
2020: Arrest in the case of embezzlement of 1 billion rubles in the supply of electronics for the ISS
August 27, 2020 it became known about the detention of the former general Director of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (SRC, part of Roscosmos) Vladimir Solntsev, head of NPP Istok (a subsidiary of Rostec) Alexander Borisov on suspicion of fraud.
About the detention of Solntsev and Borisov, as well as several ex-managers "Energia" TASS was told by a source in law enforcement agencies. Another the interlocutor previously told the agency that on August 26, 2020, a number of former managers of Energia were searched in the case of embezzlement of 1 billion rubles for the supply of an electronic component base (ECB) for the module of the International Space Station (ISS).
Also, a search in this case was carried out at the representative of the management of the enterprise "Istok" named after Shokin. Roscosmos confirmed that in relation to Solntsev and some other ex-managers of the SRC are conducting investigative measures in cases until 2018 of the year.
Roscosmos said that Solntsev left SRC after being appointed to post as CEO of Dmitry Rogozin Corporation in May 2018.
Labor relations with Solntsev terminated "due to the big the number of questions about his activities as head of RSC Energia, reported in the corporation.
According to Kommersant, the resignation of Vladimir Solntsev from the post of general director of SRC was also associated with the problems of Angolan telecommunications satellite AngoSat 1, which appeared immediately after launch of the Zenit-3SL launch vehicle from the Baikonur cosmodrome. At that time, against the dismissal of Mr. Solntsev, despite harsh criticism Dmitry Rogozin (oversaw the industry in the rank of deputy prime minister), spoke then general director of Roscosmos Igor Komarov.
The fraud became known after two inspections, initiated by the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin. The first spent internal audit service, the second - the Accounts Chamber. As a result, the contract with Solntsev was terminated, the audit materials were transferred to law enforcement agencies.[1][2]
2023: Incarceration in U.S. missile supply case
In January 2023, the former general director of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (SRC, part of Roscosmos) Vladimir Solntsev was sentenced to six years in prison in the case of embezzlement of 662 million rubles.
In the same case, the Khimki City Court of the Moscow Region sentenced Vladimir Kolmykov, Director General of the Lavochkin Scientific and Production Association, to three years in a general regime colony.
The criminal case dates back to the period when Kolmykov and Solntsev held the positions of top managers of the Energomash Scientific and Production Association (NPO). According to investigators, in 2015, Solntsev convinced Kolmykov to sign changes to the license agreement on the supply of liquid-propellant rocket engines to the United States RD-180 on conditions unfavorable for Russia and Energomash, Kommersant writes.
As it turned out during the investigation, the changes that Vladimir Kolmykov made to the license agreement and signed did not provide for Russia to receive funds for transferring all rights to the RD-180 to the American side from September 27, 2022 to December 31, 2030.
The court found Kolmykov guilty of abuse of power, and Solntsev guilty of inciting abuse of power. They were taken into custody in the courtroom. From both defendants, the court decided to recover more than 662 million rubles. The money will be directed to compensation for damage.
For the defendants Solntsev and Kolmykov, during the debate of the parties, the state prosecution requested seven and a half and five years of imprisonment, respectively. The judge reduced the punishment, since both are positively characterized, have services to their homeland and a number of diseases.
By the end of January 2023, Solntsev is also involved in the case of embezzlement with damage of more than 1 billion rubles in the supply of an electronic component base for the Scientific and Energy Module (NEM). Initially, the NEM was supposed to become part of the ISS, but then it became known that the construction of the Russian orbital station would begin with it.[3]
2024: Disclosure of multi-million dollar electronics theft scheme for International Space Station
On November 20, 2024, it became known that a scheme of large-scale theft was disclosed in Russia when purchasing an electronic component base of imported production (ECB) for the International Space Station (ISS). The total damage, according to the investigation, exceeds 1 billion rubles.
According to the newspaper, Kommersant the defendants in the case were the former president of the rocket and space corporation (SRC) Energia (structure) Roscosmos Vladimir Solntsev, his deputy Stepan Prokhorov and director of NPP Magratep Oleg Morozov (died in September 2023 at the age of 79). The thefts were revealed during the execution of the state contract for the creation of a scientific and energy module (NEM) for the ISS: more than 15 billion rubles were allocated from the budget for the implementation of the project.
Scheme
It is noted that the NEM required the acquisition of a foreign ECB - no more than 700 million rubles were allocated for these purposes. Solntsev, who, according to the investigation, is the organizer of the criminal group, ensured that SRC designers, not aware of the upcoming deal, prepared a memorandum on the need to increase costs several times. As a result, under the contract of 2017 between RSC Energia and JSC TsNII Cyclone for the purchase and certification of ECB for the ISS, prices were overestimated by 1 billion 72 million 389 thousand rubles.
Subsequently, during the examination, experts came to the conclusion that the choice of Cyclone as a supplier and the conclusion of additional agreements to the contract, including to increase the term and cost of supplies, were made in violation of the law. The Prokhorov court chose a preventive measure in the form of house arrest, while Solntsev, as of the end of November 2024, is under recognizance not to leave. There are 120 volumes in the criminal case, and the indictment has about 900 sheets.[4]
2025: Sentence - 8 years in prison for major embezzlement in the supply of electronics to the International Space Station
On November 24, 2025, the Royal City Court of the Moscow Region sentenced Vladimir Solntsev, the former general director of the Rocket and Space Corporation (SRC) Energia. He received eight years in prison in the case of embezzlement of more than 800 million rubles from the state corporation Roscosmos.
Solntsev left RSC Energia in 2018. Then it was reported that labor relations with him were terminated "due to a large number of questions about his activities." Investigative actions were initiated following the results of internal inspections in the state corporation.
According to the case file, Solntsev, together with his accomplices, overestimated the cost of the purchased electronic component base. We are talking about the supply of products for the scientific and energy module (NEM), which was created under the project of the International Space Station (ISS). According to investigators, Solntsev and other persons stole 839 million rubles, which were subsequently divided among themselves.
The case against the former director of RSC Energia was initiated in August 2020. Solntsev was charged with committing crimes under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - fraud committed by an organized group on an especially large scale. According to RBC, the defendant made a deal with the investigation and gave detailed testimony about the scheme of embezzlement of funds.
Solntsev will serve his sentence in a general regime correctional colony. After his release, for two years he is prohibited from holding positions related to the performance of organizational, administrative and administrative functions in state bodies, local self-government bodies and commercial organizations with state participation. In addition, the former head of RSC Energia will have to pay 839 million rubles in a civil lawsuit.[5]
Notes
- ↑ The ex-general director of RSC Energia and the head of NPP Istok were detained on suspicion of fraud
- ↑ The investigation was charged with Energy. Former head of RSC Energia delayed interrogation
- ↑ Space managers were launched to land the General Director of the Lavochkin NGO and his colleague were convicted of abuse in the supply of rocket engines
- ↑ The examination was issued by Roscosmos
- ↑ Courts of general jurisdiction of the Moscow region
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