Popular Articles

MOSCOW, January 19 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian...

MOSCOW, January 19 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian businessman currently in custody pending trial published on Monday an open letter to President Dmitry Medvedev claiming investigators were pressuring him to testify against his business partner. Vladimir Nekrasov, who owns the Arbat Prestige cosmetics chain, was arrested in Moscow last January on tax evasion charges along with Sergei Shnaider, an alleged mafia boss also known as Semyon Mogilevich. Nekrasov wrote that the prison chief and the investigator in charge of his case told him: "Do you want to get out of here, Nekrasov? Testify against Shnaider, and you"ll walk free tomorrow." Nekrasov, 47, has maintained that Shnaider, 62, is not linked to Arbat Prestige, but said in the letter published in Russian media on Monday that he has come under strong pressure to provide false evidence against Shnaider. In particular, he said his custody has been extended several times without a valid reason. In April, the Moscow City Court refused to release Shnaider despite the offer of a $2 million bail payment, equal to the back tax claim against Arbat Prestige. Shnaider has been wanted by a number of countries, including the United States, for more than 15 years for alleged involvement in organized crime and corruption. Believed to control the largest Russian mafia syndicate in the world, he is suspected of being involved in arms dealing, drug trafficking, the sex trade and money laundering. He served two jail terms in the Soviet Union in the 1970s for currency dealing offenses and fraud. Russian prosecutors allege that Shnaider was behind a tax evasion scheme said to have been used by Arbat Prestige. Arbat Prestige was established in 1989 and opened its first retail outlet in 1998. It now has a network of 64 outlets across Russia.


Russia and the United States will finalize...

Russia and the United States will finalize a strategic arms reduction pact within days, a Foreign Ministry official said on Monday.


Russian opposition parties expressed satisfaction...

Russian opposition parties expressed satisfaction with the results of Sunday"s regional legislative elections seen as a popularity test for the pro-Kremlin United Russia party.

Business

The Russian government has submitted draft...

The move is seen as a means to improve the traditionally negative attitude of most Russians toward oligarchs and other wealthy people. Dislike of the rich, typical during the years of the Communist rule, only strengthened during the controversial post-Soviet reforms in the 1990s which sent a scant few people"s wealth skyrocketing while pushing the majority of Russians below the poverty line.

"We count on their [the laws"] quick consideration and support on the part of MPs," Putin told the inner cabinet.

"The state should encourage any useful, socially responsible activity by citizens, including through forming a favorable tax regime for it," he said.

In January, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called on the government and parliament to speed up drafting laws to increase the work efficiency of charity organizations supporting families with children.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, recently tasked with improving Russia"s investment image,

Pages: [1] 2 


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):