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| Russian ex-minister Ulyukayev gets eight years for bribery | Russian ex-minister Ulyukayev gets eight years for bribery |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Moscow court has sentenced Russia's former Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev to eight years in a harsh-regime prison for bribery. | |
| He was also fined 130m roubles ($2.2m; £1.6m). He is the first minister to stand trial in Russia's recent history. | He was also fined 130m roubles ($2.2m; £1.6m). He is the first minister to stand trial in Russia's recent history. |
| Ulyukayev, 61, was arrested in 2016, accused of trying to extort $2m from state oil firm Rosneft to approve its purchase of another oil firm. | Ulyukayev, 61, was arrested in 2016, accused of trying to extort $2m from state oil firm Rosneft to approve its purchase of another oil firm. |
| He was accused by the Rosneft boss, who is close to President Vladimir Putin. | He was accused by the Rosneft boss, who is close to President Vladimir Putin. |
| Rosneft boss Igor Sechin was asked to testify but did not turn up. | Rosneft boss Igor Sechin was asked to testify but did not turn up. |
| It was a security service sting operation involving Mr Sechin last November that put Mr Ulyukayev in the dock. | It was a security service sting operation involving Mr Sechin last November that put Mr Ulyukayev in the dock. |
| Ulyukayev denied the charges and alleged he was framed. | Ulyukayev denied the charges and alleged he was framed. |
| The verdict read out by the judge said Ulyukayev had "made use of his position in order to demand from Rosneft chief Sechin a bribe, in exchange for giving approval" for the purchase of state-owned Bashneft. | The verdict read out by the judge said Ulyukayev had "made use of his position in order to demand from Rosneft chief Sechin a bribe, in exchange for giving approval" for the purchase of state-owned Bashneft. |
| "At the same time he told Sechin he would in future obstruct the company's activities if it rebuffed him," the verdict added. | "At the same time he told Sechin he would in future obstruct the company's activities if it rebuffed him," the verdict added. |
| Oleg Feoktistov, a former secret service officer who worked for Mr Sechin, testified that the bribery had taken place on the sidelines of a Brics forum in Goa, India. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa form the Brics group. | Oleg Feoktistov, a former secret service officer who worked for Mr Sechin, testified that the bribery had taken place on the sidelines of a Brics forum in Goa, India. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa form the Brics group. |
| "Using two fingers he indicated the sum he wanted to receive, which was equivalent to two million dollars," Mr Feoktistov said, citing what Mr Sechin had told him. | "Using two fingers he indicated the sum he wanted to receive, which was equivalent to two million dollars," Mr Feoktistov said, citing what Mr Sechin had told him. |
| Kremlin tensions | Kremlin tensions |
| Before being prosecuted, Ulyukayev was an influential liberal in the Russian elite but not part of President Putin's inner circle. | Before being prosecuted, Ulyukayev was an influential liberal in the Russian elite but not part of President Putin's inner circle. |
| Mr Sechin's close ties to Mr Putin go back to the Soviet 1980s, when Mr Putin was a KGB officer. | |
| On Thursday Mr Putin shrugged off Mr Sechin's failure to testify in court. | On Thursday Mr Putin shrugged off Mr Sechin's failure to testify in court. |
| The president said the court had enough materials for the case, including information that Mr Sechin had provided. | The president said the court had enough materials for the case, including information that Mr Sechin had provided. |
| The case has highlighted rivalries at the apex of Russian politics, BBC Russian reports. | The case has highlighted rivalries at the apex of Russian politics, BBC Russian reports. |
| Mr Sechin's version of events prevailed and inconsistencies have emerged in the case against Ulyukayev, BBC Russian reporter Sergei Goryashko says. | Mr Sechin's version of events prevailed and inconsistencies have emerged in the case against Ulyukayev, BBC Russian reporter Sergei Goryashko says. |
| Ulyukayev insisted he was innocent, saying he had no idea a bag given to him by Mr Sechin contained money. | Ulyukayev insisted he was innocent, saying he had no idea a bag given to him by Mr Sechin contained money. |
| He said he thought it was expensive wine which, allegedly, Mr Sechin often presents to business partners along with speciality sausages, as gifts. | He said he thought it was expensive wine which, allegedly, Mr Sechin often presents to business partners along with speciality sausages, as gifts. |
| According to former Kremlin public relations manager Gleb Pavlovsky, the case showed that "anyone with money can put anybody in jail" in today's Russia. | According to former Kremlin public relations manager Gleb Pavlovsky, the case showed that "anyone with money can put anybody in jail" in today's Russia. |