…ON THE SAME DAY AS BORIS BEREZOVSKY.

Deputy Prosecutor General Vasily Kolmogorov announced yesterday that all suspects in the Aeroflot case, which involves allegations that two Swiss firms tied to Boris Berezovsky embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars from the Russian state airline, will be questioned on November 13. Kolmogorov said that materials received from Swiss prosecutors gave Russian investigators “a basis for speaking with the principals in that case from the point of view of indicting [them]” and that the suspects, “if necessary,” could be arrested. Kolmogorov indicated that Berezovsky and two of his close associates and former Aeroflot executives, Aleksandr Krasnenker and Nikolai Glushkov, would be among those questioned (Russian agencies, Radio Ekho Moskvy, November 1).

Earlier this year, Swiss prosecutors seized several hundred kilograms of documents from the two companies, Andava and Forus Services, which were turned over to the previous chief investigator on the case, Nikolai Volkov. Volkov was dismissed from his post in August, soon after returning from Switzerland with the Aeroflot-related evidence. Last month, Berezovsky agreed to meet with Alexander Filin, who replaced Volkov as lead investigator in the Aeroflot case, for an “informal talk” (see the Monitor, October 18). Indeed, Kolmogorov noted yesterday that Berezovsky, unlike Vladimir Gusinsky, had previously “come to interrogations in good faith and promised to come at the first summons any time.” This time, however, he is being summoned not simply to answer questions as a witness, but as a suspect. Berezovsky’s lawyer, Semyon Ariya, said yesterday that Kolmogorov’s comments seemed to be an attempt at intimidation. He said that his client was currently abroad (Russian agencies, November 1). Berezovsky has consistently denied ever having had a connection to Aeroflot.

DOES LITVINENKO KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APARTMENT BOMBINGS?