Russian Economy Minister detained on bribery charges

Moscow: Russian Economy Minister Alexey Ulyukaev has been detained and is under investigation on suspicions of bribery.

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

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

"The investigation is linked to Alexey Ulyukaev having received on November 14, 2016, $2 million for the positive appraisal given by the Economy Ministry, which allowed Rosneft to buy 50 percent of Bashneft shares," the Investigative Committee added.

The committee also said that Rosneft representatives were coerced, threatened into giving a bribe.

According to the Investigative Committee, Ulyukaev was arrested at the moment of receiving a bribe.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on the situation, saying that the accusations against the economy minister are very serious.