Russian general detained over fuel theft

Major General Sergey Malkov, former deputy head of the Moscow Region Interior Ministry and head of logistics, has been detained over the alleged theft of motor fuel, Russia’s Interior Ministry said.

According to Russian media, the ministry’s spokesperson, Irina Volk, said the case also involves former Centre for Logistics and Services chief Alexey Suyarov, former department head Anna Levina and three senior executives of PAO Eurotrans.

The three Eurotrans executives have been remanded in custody. Malkov, Suyarov and Levina have been dismissed from the Interior Ministry. They, along with Eurotrans board chairman Igor Martynov, have been detained under Article 91 of Russia’s Criminal Procedure Code. Investigators are seeking their detention in custody.

The operation was carried out by the Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Internal Security and Main Directorate for Economic Security and Anti-Corruption, Volk said.

According to the ministry, an investigation uncovered information about the alleged involvement of an organised group comprising Martynov and three senior executives, with the participation of Malkov, Suyarov and Levina.

A criminal case has been opened under Part 4 of Article 160 of Russia’s Criminal Code on embezzlement. The preliminary investigation has been assigned to the Interior Ministry’s Investigative Department.

Investigators are establishing the circumstances of the alleged criminal activity, identifying other participants and determining whether there are additional victims, Volk said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev