MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the issues of fighting corruption with Security Council permanent members, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
"The issue of fighting corruption was discussed separately [at the meeting]," Peskov said.
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On March 3, Sakhalin Region Governor Alexander Khoroshavin was detained on suspicion of taking a $5.6 million bribe. The governor, along with three suspected accomplices, was taken to Moscow, where the court sanctioned his arrest. He will be officially charged in the next 10 days.
On March 4, Peskov said that the president "was timely informed on the measures taken against Khoroshavin." "Putin has repeatedly spoken in favor of increasing effectiveness of fighting corruption, stressing that it needs to be done regardless of positions," Peskov reminded.
The prosecutor’s office said it upholds the arrest of Russian Far Eastern Sakhalin Region governor Alexander Khoroshavin. "I uphold the investigator’s request to choose the measure of restraint in the form of placement in custody for the detainee. I believe a different measure of restraint for Khoroshavin cannot be chosen," the prosecutor said.
Alexander Khoroshavin asked the court to place him under house arrest or release him "on reasonable bail," a TASS correspondent reported from Moscow’s Basmanny Court.
The investigator said the punishment under a relevant Criminal Code article stipulates up to 15 years in prison.
Eyewitnesses confirm involvement of Alexander Khoroshavin in crimes he is charged with, an Investigative Committee spokesman said.