Russian security services have detained a London-based executive of flagship airline Aeroflot on suspicion of passing state secrets to Britain, Russian news agencies reported, citing sources. The TASS and RIA news agencies named the executive on Thursday as Dmitry Fedotkin and said he denied any wrongdoing. Fedotkin’s profile on the Linkedin website says he has been Aeroflot’s station manager in Britain for the last five years and was the airline’s UK country manager for almost three years before that. One unnamed Russian source was cited by Russian news agencies as saying Fedotkin had passed secrets pertaining to Russia’s social and political situation to Britain’s MI6 foreign intelligence service, but did not have access to state secrets linked to the aviation industry. Aeroflot said it did not have any information about the case, while the British embassy in Moscow referred questions to Russian authorities. Records from Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court show it opened a state treason case against an individual named D.A. Fedotkin on Wednesday. If convicted of high treason, he could face up to 20 years in jail.<br/>
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The National Assembly of Vietnam is set to deliberate a 12t dong ($520m) rescue of cash-strapped flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, a package in which the state would underwrite the majority of a capital increase and state lenders would offer soft loans. The rescue package comprises a capital increase of 8t dong plus 4t dong of soft loans. The government plans to underwrite 85% of the issued shares through the State Capital Investment Corp., a holding company of state-owned companies, according to the agenda issued on Wednesday by the National Assembly. The rescue plan will be deliberated during the remaining two working days of the current National Assembly session, which will wrap up on Tuesday. Details are to be worked out during deliberations. Vietnam's State Capital Investment Corp. is said to be ready to buy the new shares if lawmakers greenlight the plan. Vietnam Airlines is listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, with the state controlling 86.19% of its shares and Japan's ANA Holdings, parent company of All Nippon Airways holding 8.77% as of 2019. Regarding the new share issue, 85% would be equivalent to 6.8t dong. The remainder would be left to be picked up by existing investors, including ANA Holdings, a local analyst said.<br/>