MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax-AVN) - The criminal case involving high-ranking Defense Ministry officials accused of involvement in the disposal of anti-boat mines and rockets has good prospects of being tried in court, said Russia's Main Military Prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky.
"I think the case will be tried in court and the culprits will be determined and punished," Fridinsky told Interfax on Tuesday.
The investigation into the case is "going actively," he said.
Vladimir Markin, an official with the Investigations Committee of the Russian prosecutor's office, said earlier that an investigation was underway involving high-ranking Defense Ministry officials accused of involvement in the disposal of aviation anti-boat mines and rockets.
The military investigations department of the Investigations Committee of the Russian prosecutor's office has opened a criminal case against the military officials on the basis of Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code (fraud), said Markin.
Fridinsky earlier told the Russian Prosecutor's Office that his agency had revealed a case of smuggling 30 anti-boat rockets and 200 aviation bombs over the Russian border with the purpose of selling them to China for $18 million.
The military prosecutors have sent these materials to the investigation bodies for a criminal case to be opened against Russian Navy officials and some businessmen, said Fridinsky.
Sources close to Interfax said high-ranking Navy officials are involved in this case.
"We are currently working to determine whether some Navy officials, including vice-admirals and rear-admirals," the source said.
The investigation has shown that the ammunition was registered as disposed of before it was taken abroad to the Russian base in Kyrgyzstan for subsequent sale to China, the source said. An estimated $1.6 million was provided from the state budget for this disposal, the source said.
Besides high-ranking military officials, the case involves top officials from Rosoboronexport and businessmen, the source said.