There could be more suspects in a criminal case, which has seen Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev detained on bribery charges. <br /><br /> A Moscow court has put him under house arrest, accused of extorting a 1.8 million euro bribe from Rosneft, the country’s biggest oil company.<br /><br /> President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Ulyukayev from his post. <br /><br /> “Of course this is a hard situation for those in power and for the government. What happened is beyond my understanding. I discussed this topic with the president of the country and he is of the same opinion,” said Dmitry Medvedev, Russian Prime Minister. <br /><br /> “Nevertheless, the most thorough investigation of what has happened should take place in the framework set by the current legislation.”<br /><br /> Russian newspapers are reporting that ministers and aides close to Medvedev could now be drawn into the same case, as they were allegedly also under surveillance. <br /><br /> Ulyukayev is accused of extorting a bribe in exchange for approving Rosneft’s 4.6 billion euro purchase of a stake in oil producer Bashneft. He denies the charge. <br /><br /> Ulyukayev is the highest ranking Russian official to be detained while in office since the collapse of the Soviet Union.<br />
