Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev has been formally charged with bribery in connection with a 4.6 billion euro acquisition by the state oil company, Rosneft.<br /><br /> The 60-year-old technocrat is the highest-ranking Russian official to be arrested while in office since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> The allegation<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> The Investigative Committee, the state agency that investigates major crimes, is investigating a claim that Ulyukayev received a 1.8 million euro bribe in exchange for signing off on Rosneft’s purchase of a stake in the mid-sized oil producer, Bashneft.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> What has the Kremlin said?<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin was informed about the case when the investigation was launched.<br /><br /> He said he did not know whether the detention meant that Rosneft’s purchase of Bashneft could be reviewed.<br /><br /> State television was quick to present Ulyukayev’s detention as part of the authorities’ fight against corruption.<br /><br /> But some think it may also be evidence of infighting at the highest levels of power and may herald a wider shake-up before the 2018 presidential election.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> What has Rosneft said?<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Rosneft, Russia’s top oil producer, has filed a complaint against Ulyukayev.<br /><br /> Investigators say the complaint suggests he had put the company under threat over the Bashneft deal.<br /><br /> Earlier, a spokesperson, Mikhail Leontyev, was quoted by the TASS news agency as saying the company saw no risk to the Bashneft deal stemming from Ulyukayev’s arrest.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Who is Ulyukayev?<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> The minister has been in his job since June 2013.<br /><br /> He is not said to be part of Putin’s inner circle, which is dominated by people who favour a commanding role for the state in the economy.<br /><br /> However, he does not belong to the rival camp of economic liberals either.<br /><br /> Ulyukayev is reportedly close to Andrei Kostin, the influential head of Russia’s second-biggest lender, VTB.<br /><br /> The minister is the head of state-owned VTB’s advisory board.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> What they are saying<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> “The minister is detained. In the near future, investigators plan to bring charges against Alexei Ulyukayev,” – Investigative Committee statement.<br /><br /> “The prime minister believes that the most painstaking investigation of this case is required,” – a statement from the office of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev<br /><br /> “This is strange and surprising news for us,” – Elena Lashkina, Ulyukayev’s spokeswoman.<br />
