Two former executives of the Russian explosives manufacturer Avangard have been detained on charges of power abuse and bribery, as reported by the RBC news agency on Thursday, referencing the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Stanislav Shevchuk, who managed the EU-sanctioned state enterprise from November 2023 to October 2024, along with his ex-deputy Mikhail Bogoyavlensky, stands accused of falsifying records to falsely assert that a contractor had completed work worth 50.8 million rubles ($631,000), even though there was a breach of contract involved.

The FSB contends that the two failed to execute a bank guarantee that would have safeguarded Avangard’s financial interests.

In addition, Bogoyavlensky is facing charges for allegedly soliciting 120 million rubles ($1.5 million) in kickbacks in 2023 from a businessman whose firm later obtained a supply contract with Avangard, valued at 1.9 billion rubles ($23.6 million). Investigators reported that he accepted 35 million rubles ($435,000) in bribes between late 2023 and January 2025.

Currently, Bogoyavlensky holds the position of a municipal deputy in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Avangard, located in the city of Sterlitamak, manufactures explosives and components for rocket launch systems utilized by the Russian military. The company was fully transferred to the state defense conglomerate Rostec in 2022.

Both Shevchuk and Avangard are subject to EU sanctions.