Two-thirds of Russians see manifestation of corruption in 'Ulyukayev case' - poll
MOSCOW. Nov 25 (Interfax) - A majority of Russians (78%) are aware of the detention of Russia's former economic development minister Alexei Ulyukayev, and 30% of them are closely following the developments, Levada Center told Interfax.
The poll, which surveys 1,600 people aged 18 or older living in 137 populated areas of 48 regions of Russia, was conducted on November 18-21.
Twenty-two percent of respondents said they had never heard about the 'Ulyukayev case' before.
Two-thirds of respondents (64%) of those who had heard about the detention said they believe the 'Ulyukayev case' is a manifestation of total corruption of the authorities. Another 27% call what happened "a one-off thing not typical of the higher administration of the country". Nine percent of respondents were undecided.
Over one-third (36%) of respondents who know of this case said they see it as "the beginning of a serious fight against corruption in the state administration". Thirty percent of respondents see in it "a sign of the fight for spheres of influence between high-ranking officials". One out of every five respondents (21%) believes this situation is "the beginning of the security and law enforcement officials' offensive on the economic bloc in the government".
Forty-seven percent of respondents who have heard about Ulyukayev's arrest believe that "this information casts a shadow" personally on Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and 38% believe this situation will reflect on the reputation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev was detained on November 14. The court put him under house arrest until January 15. The next day, Ulyukayev was charged with extortion and taking a $2 million bribe, while the Russian president relieved Ulyukayev of his duties due to loss of trust.
The Investigative Committee said that "the circumstances of this crime are associated with the receipt by Alexei Ulyukayev, a Russian state servant, on November 14, 2016 of $2 million for the Economic Development Ministry's positive evaluation that helped the oil company Rosneft to close the deal to buy the state package of shares in the oil company Bashneft in the amount of 50%."