Russian Economy Minister Aleksei Ulyukayev has been detained for allegedly taking a $2-million bribe to facilitate state oil giant Rosneft's takeover of Bashneft last month, RFE/RL reports, citing the Russian Investigative Committee.
Russian minister detained for allegedly taking $2m bribe
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 15, ARTSAKHPRESS: Ulyukayev is reported to be the highest-ranking Russian government official to be arrested since 1991.
He has overseen massive government privatization, capped by regional oil firm Bashneft's $5 billion sale to state-controlled Rosneft in a controversial deal last month.
The investigative committee said Ulyukayev was detained for providing the "positive" assessment by the government that enabled Rosneft to make the purchase, in exchange for the bribe.
The committee, which reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, said the investigation would put forward charges soon.
"Ulyukayev was detained at night, immediately after interrogation," an Investigative Committee official told Reuters.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS that "this is a serious accusation," and the charges will be decided by the courts.
The criminal statute cited by the investigative committee in arresting Ulyukayev authorizes fines up to 100 times the amount of the bribe along with a ban on holding certain positions, or up to 15 years in prison.
