Anatoli Bakin told the journalists that his contacts with the US citizen Edmond Pope (later sentenced in Russia to 20 years of imprisonment and subsequently pardoned by President Vladimir Putin) took place as part of the cooperation agreement signed by the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and the Pennsylvania University in 1996. According to Babkin, he never held private negotiations with Pope, never handed him any secret material and never got any money. "I was officially given money from the funds officially obtained from the Pennsylvania University by Bauman University in roubles," said Prof. Babkin. Journalists also asked Anatoli Babkin if he would cooperate with foreigners in future: Prof. Babkin replied that he could not answer this yet, as the court sentence prohibits him from any further work in his area of specialisation.

Asked about his relations with his colleagues he answered that outside university relations were good, but that he felt tension in the university. According to Prof. Babkin, he learned that leadership of the university had recommended that university staff refrain from communicating with him.

Today the YABLOKO party expressed their solidarity with Prof. Babkin. Deputy Head of the YABLOKO Party, deputy of the State Duma Sergei Mitrokhin called the professor a victim of the spy-mania, and also indicated that he regarded the suspended sentience against Babkin as the result of the uncertainty of the prosecutors and others who condemned the professor, proceeding from their own positions, rather than a demonstration of their disrespect for his age (Babkin is over 70) or the state of his health.

See also:

Prof. Babkin Case

Prima News, February 21, 2003