Economy Minister detained on suspicion of bribery

Alexey Ulyukaev is under the investigation for allegedly having received $2 million that led to a positive conclusion, allowing Rosneft oil company to buy Bashneft, the Russian Investigative Committee said early Tuesday in a statement.

"The Main Investigations Directorate for High Priority Cases of the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation of the Economy Minister Alexey Ulyukaev," the statement said.

"The investigation is linked to the Economy Minister Alexey Ulyukaev having received on November 14, 2016 $2 million dollars for the positive appraisal given by the Economy Ministry, which allowed Rosneft to buy 50 percent of Bashneft shares," the Investigative Committee added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on the situation, saying that the accusations against the economy minister are very serious.

"It is night. I don't know if this has been reported to the president. This is a very serious accusation that needs serious proof. In any case, the decision can be taken by court only," Peskov told RIA Novosti.

There were no comments coming from the Ministry of Economic Development.