ST. PETERSBURG, October 6 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – A court in Khabarovsk has extended detention of defendants in the criminal case over the alleged embezzlement at the Vostochny Cosmodrome till January 12, RAPSI learned from the court’s press-service on Thursday.

Defendants in the case are ex-CEO of Dalspetsstroy company, Yuriy Khrizman, head accountant Vladimir Ashihmin, Mikhail Khrizman and former chairman of the Legislative Duma of Khabarovsk Krai Victor Chudov. Defendants, depending on their respective roles, are accused of abuse of office and/or embezzlement crimes.

Hearings are conducted behind closed doors.

The construction of the space center, due to become Russia's main launch site, began in 2012. The facility opened on April 28, 2015.

Dalspetsstroy, the company in charge of the Vostochny Cosmodrome construction, has repeatedly reported that the project was behind schedule at some sites but promised to catch up.

According to investigators, ex-CEO of Dalspetsstroy, Yuriy Khrizman, his son Mikhail and Viktor Chudov, Chairman of the Khabarovsk Krai Duma, embezzled about 106 million rubles ($1.6 million) belonging to the company. However, one criminal episode was uncovered within the investigation into the case over alleged embezzlement at Vostochny Cosmodrome.

Earlier a court in Russia’s Amur region has found CEO of the Vostochny Cosmodrome construction contractor Stroyindustriya-S, Sergei Terentyev, guilty of embezzlement and sentenced him to 11 years in penal colony.