Yukos Vice President Detained On Suspicion of Embezzlement

Vasily Aleksanyan, vice president of Yukos, arrives at court in Moscow on April 5 (ITAR-TASS) April 6, 2006 -- Russian authorities have detained the new vice president of the Yukos oil company on suspicion of embezzlement and money-laundering.

His lawyer, Gevorg Davgyan, said Vasily Aleksanyan was being questioned by prosecutors.

A Moscow court ruled on April 6 that prosecutors could launch criminal proceedings against Aleksanyan.

Yukos, once Russia's biggest oil company, was crippled by government orders to repay billions of dollars in back taxes.

(compiled from agency reports)