MOSCOW. Dec 18 (Interfax) - The investigators told Russian President Vladimir Putin that former journalist Ivan Safronov had long been working for Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"The information was reported, was provided to the chief of state by the investigators," Peskov told reporters in response to the question whether the president might have misspoken.
Putin said during his press conference on Thursday that Safronov's case was linked to "the long period of his work as an assistant or advisor to Rogozin, his work with the government and with Roscosmos."
After the press conference, Putin elaborated on his words, saying "I didn't say that he's been accused of working as an aide. I said that some episodes of his activities which the investigation considers unlawful are related not to his work as a journalist at Kommersant, but to quite a lengthy period of his life, including the time he was working as an aide to Rogozin."
Peskov said on Friday that if Safronov's lawyers have any unclassified information in his defense, they could publish such information and the Kremlin would study it. Journalists pointed out that the president was using the information provided by the investigators and asked Peskov whether the Kremlin cared to know the opinion of the other side.
"Indeed. The president is actually using the information received from the investigative authorities due to the high-profile nature of the case. The president mostly focused on the essence of the case, and the primary question is whether secret information had really been provided in exchange for money or there was no such [episode]. This is what the president talks about above all. The rest is a nuance," Peskov said.
The president "actually said that the investigators have yet to prove these very serious accusations."
Journalists asked a follow-up question as to whether the Kremlin was ready to hear out Safronov's defense team. "This is not our function to hear out the defense," Peskov said. "If, say, the defense has anything it could publish, we will study the information when and if it is released. But if there is no such information, considering the regime of secrecy, then we have no right to study it," he said.
"Please note that, one way or another, this is not essential for the principal issue highlighted by the president. The period is not so important. It is important whether secret information was provided for money or not," Peskov said.
"No matter when that might have happened, figuratively speaking, this is irrelevant," he said.