Putin, shown here on May 10 delivering his state-of-the-nation address, has vowed to crack down on corruption (ITAR-TASS)
May 23, 2006 -- Russian authorities have arrested the governor of an oil-producing region on suspicion of embezzlement.
Alexei Barinov, governor of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Russia's Arctic, is accused of misappropriating around $700,000 when he was the head of a geological prospecting company.
The arrrest comes just days after President Vladimir Putin said he would crack down on corrupt officials.
(AP, Reuters)
RFE/RL Russia Report
RFE/RL Russia Report