Safronov disclosed details of his work with the alleged recruiter

The journalist himself says that investigators refer to the letters from his friend as intelligence.

"In 2017, he (Martina Larish - ed.) quitted work in the newspaper - tired of working as an employee. Instead, he decided to create his own Internet project - the Information Agency for Security Analysis and Prevention. The idea was simple: the organization of mailing among the subscribers of the media digest and analytical materials on a paid basis. Such a news agency which's information consumers are other media. He asked for help in promoting a business idea, and I agreed, since it did not distract me from my main work”, - says Safronov to Kommersant.

The journalist also indicated that he wrote for Larish “no more than one or two materials per month”, and the topics of these materials were based on “publicly discussed” information. He stressed that the articles were a compilation of data from open sources.

"Martin sent me a list of those topics that he wanted to cover in his agency. If I could write something, then I wrote, if not, then no. It was simple, no obligation. In the future, we expected that the income from subscriptions to mailing lists would be profitable”, - Safronov said.

He added that the investigation calls the fact of his acquaintance with Larish as recruitment, and the letters - intelligence.

"And in my answers a state secret appeared from somewhere. Fantasy? Not. The investigation considers me a Czech spy. The fact that my friend is a career intelligence officer, and that I myself "spied" in favor of some kind of management, I learned only from the decision to initiate a criminal case. I asked the investigation to show me these texts, around which my whole accusation is built, but they didn’t show me anything”, - Safronov said.

He said that he met Larish in 2010, while working at Lidove Novine in Moscow, and they developed a friendly relationship. But in 2012, their communication was interrupted because Larish returned home. During this period, they only occasionally corresponded on social networks. They began to see each other regularly in 2016 and sometimes traveled together in Europe.

Let us remind you that in October last year the investigation announced that Martin Larish was Safronov's recruiter. Then Safronov gave, according to his lawyer, exhaustive testimony about the relationship with this person.

Safronov was detained on July 7 in Moscow and arrested for two months on suspicion of treason under Art. 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Safronov allegedly transferred secret information to a Czech secret service officer regarding the supply of weapons to countries in Africa and the Middle East. From the Czech Republic, these data were allegedly transferred to the United States. How exactly the transfer took place, and how Safronov, who did not have access to state secrets, became the owner of classified information, the investigation did not report. In the case of treason, Safronov faces up to 20 years in prison.