Putin spokesperson: Kremlin employees have read latest Ivan Golunov investigation on Moscow funeral industry

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told journalists today that the Kremlin is familiar with the contents of Ivan Golunov’s latest investigative report. The report, which was submitted in draft form hours before Golunov was arrested on fabricated drug charges, exposed corruption and FSB ties in Moscow’s funeral industry. During a subsequent hearing, Golunov said he suspected that his work on the report may have triggered his arrest.

“Without a doubt, that piece was rather widely published. We have familiarized ourselves with it, of course,” Peskov said. He added that Russian intelligence services also “had the opportunity to familiarize themselves” with the report, which includes allegations of misconduct committed by intelligence operatives. Peskov said any further investigation of those claims is now “the prerogative of those agencies.”