Russian law enforcement authorities have recently made high-profile arrests, including one current and one former deputy energy minister, on suspicion of fraud. The arrests were reported by the Kommersant business daily on Thursday, citing anonymous sources.
The former deputy energy minister Anatoly Yanovsky, who oversaw Russia’s coal industry from 2008 to 2021, was the first to be arrested by the Federal Security Service (FSB) agents. This was followed by the arrest of the current Deputy Energy Minister Sergei Mochalnikov, along with three other individuals, in connection to the investigation into Yanovsky.
Both Yanovsky and Mochalnikov are expected to face charges of embezzlement and abuse of power, with reports suggesting that the charges could be pressed soon. The investigation revolves around government contracts worth billions of rubles, some of which were allegedly incomplete, leading to the launch of the probe.
Mochalnikov, who is reported to be cooperating with authorities, faces significant financial liabilities as damages in his case total up to millions of rubles. The authorities are considering placing him under house arrest instead of pre-trial detention.