Russian Economy Minister Alexey Ulyukayev was detained over allegedly taking a $2 million bribe in return for his ministry’s support for a major oil company deal, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee

The minister is in custody and awaiting charges.

“The circumstances of the crime are connected with Alexey Ulyukayev, who occupies a public post in the Russian Federation, receiving $2 million on November 14 for the positive assessment provided by the Economic Development Ministry that allowed Rosneft to complete the deal on purchasing the government’s 50 percent stake in Bashneft,” said Deputy head of the Investigative Committee,Svetlana Petrenko in an official statement.

Petrenko added that a criminal case has been opened under part 6 of Article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers “large-scale bribery.” and that he Bashneft deal, around which the charges against Ulyukayev revolve, is not going to be revised during the probe.

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