Moscow's longtime mayor, Yury Luzhkov, and his wife plan to take legal action against local television channels and newspapers that have raised corruption allegations against them.
A spokesman for the city argued that the media reports had only contained slander with no evidence to back it up.
The state-owned television channel NTV has run investigative pieces about corruption and cronyism in Luzhkov's administration.
The reporters also looked into the dealings of his wife, Yelena Baturina, who is believed to be the richest woman in Russia.
The broadcasts alleged that her construction company Inteco repeatedly profited from contracts stemming from the mayor's office.
compiled from agency reports
A spokesman for the city argued that the media reports had only contained slander with no evidence to back it up.
The state-owned television channel NTV has run investigative pieces about corruption and cronyism in Luzhkov's administration.
The reporters also looked into the dealings of his wife, Yelena Baturina, who is believed to be the richest woman in Russia.
The broadcasts alleged that her construction company Inteco repeatedly profited from contracts stemming from the mayor's office.
compiled from agency reports