BALKAR CASE COULD PROVE TO BE POLITICALLY EXPLOSIVE.

Pyotr Yanchev, head of the Balkar Trading Company, has been arrested by the FSB and accused of fraud and tax evasion in connection with the export of 10 million tons of oil. Several senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, the State Customs Committee, and the Prosecutor General’s office were either arrested with Yanchev or were interrogated. Investigators charge that Balkar, which was established in 1992 as a joint Russian-British enterprise, violated oil export licensing laws with the help of corrupt and bribed officials. First Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Soskovets and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin are said to be among those implicated in the affair. (11)

The alleged criminal activity took place back in 1992-1993. The initiation of charges at this time is probably linked to the current parliamentary election campaign.

Transdniester Cadets Training in Russia.