Kremlin Says Putin Not Discussing Fraud Case Against Longtime Ally

The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin has not discussed the detention of the former chief of state power generator Rushydro with the company’s new director-general, Nikolai Shulginov.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 23 that a criminal fraud case opened against former Rushydro chief Yevgeny Dod was "under the jurisdiction of investigative bodies."

Russia’s Investigative Committee said on June 22 that Dod, a longtime ally of Putin, was suspected of awarding himself an excess bonus worth 73 million rubles ($1.3 million) when he headed Rushydro.

Dod was dismissed from his post at Rushydro in 2015 but was appointed chairman of the Quadra power company in March.

Quadra is controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, whose businesses have come under intense official scrutiny in recent weeks.

On June 6, Reuters reported that Prokhorov was preparing for the possible sale of Quadra to Dod.

Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax