Russia’s economy minister, Alexei Ulyukayev has been detained in connection with bribery allegations.
Russia’s main anti-corruption body, the Investigative Committee, has revealed that Mr Ulyukayev received a payment of $2million.
The bribe was allegedly for his ministry’s positive assessment that led to the oil giant Rosneft acquiring a 50% stake in another oil company, Bashneft.
“Ulyukayev was detained at night, immediately after interrogation,” an Investigative Committee official told Reuters.
He is the highest-ranking Russian official to be detained since the 1991 coup attempt in what was then the USSR.
The Investigative Committee said the minister would soon be charged, and if convicted he could face prison sentence of eight and 15 years.