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Putin sacks minister over bribery allegations

President Putin has sacked his economic development minister, Alexei Ulyukayev, who's been charged with taking a two-million dollar bribe.

It's the first time a Russian cabinet minister has been detained since the failed coup of 1991.

Mr Ulyukayev, denies that he accepted the bribe for approving the oil giant Rosneft's purchase of a 50% stake in a rival state company, called Bashneft.

Yevgeny Chichvarkin is a Russian entrepreneur who now lives in self imposed exile in London and campaigns against President Putin. Ritula Shah asked him what he knew about Mr Ulyukayev and what the arrest tells us about Russia's powerful elite.

(Photo: Vladimir Putin and Alexei Ulyukayev. Copyright: Getty Images)

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