Last week, Aleksandr Nikitin’s legal counsel received a response to a motion to dismiss the case, filed two months ago to the ProsecutorGeneral of the Russian Federation. The letter, signed by DeputyProsecutor General Aleksandr Rozanov, states that the charges forespionage and divulging of state secrets against Nikitin are sustainable.On the other hand, according to Rozanov, usage of secret military decreesapplied retroactively against Nikitin is a violation of article 15 of theRussian Constitution.

The charges against Nikitin are solely based on secret military decrees.Thus, the FSB has dug itself into a hole and, according to Nikitin’sattorney Yury Schmidt, has no idea what to do next.

Today, at a meeting with FSB investigator Aleksandr Kolb, Nikitin and hislawyer were informed that a new set of charges will be forthcoming nextweek.

Schmidt finds it hard to imagine what legal grounds the charges will bebased upon.

— There are no federal laws suggesting that information gathered byNikitin for Bellona’s ”Northern Fleet” report contain state secrets,- says Yury Schmidt in an interview with Bellona WEB.