Russian governor 'arrested while taking bribe'

Jun 24, 2016

Belykh becomes the third Russian governor to be arrested on suspicions of corruption.

The governor of Russia's central Kirov region was arrested Friday allegedly in the act of accepting a bribe of 400,000 euros ($447,000), the Russian committee of enquiry said.

"A criminal enquiry has been opened," against governor Nikita Belykh arrested "in the act of corruption in a restaurant," in Moscow, the committee said in a statement.

Belykh is suspected of accepting the money, through an intermediary, in return for turning a blind eye to dodgy investments in the region.

He becomes the third Russian governor to be arrested on suspicions of corruption in just over a year.

Corruption is endemic in Russia, undermining public confidence in the institutions and is seen as a major brake on the country's economic development.

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