Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Prosecutor Demands U.K. Return $8.4 Billion 'Looted' by Russian Criminals

Prosecutor General Yury Chaika Stanislav Krasilnikov / TASS

Russia’s chief prosecutor has demanded that Britain return 500 billion rubles ($8.4 billion) stolen by Russian economic criminals that Moscow has been seeking to repatriate for over a decade.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has sought the extradition of 61 Russians accused of financial crimes since 2002, Prosecutor General Yury Chaika told the state-run NTV channel in an interview Sunday. Chaika said Russia incurred more than $8 billion in “direct losses,” adding that “significantly more” has been siphoned off to the U.K.  

“Keep the criminals but give us back the money. This is our money,” Chaika said.

According to Russia’s chief prosecutor, Moscow hopes that London will use its anti-money laundering and corruption laws “in accordance with the standards of a civilized state and not on the principle of looting the looted.” 

“In other words, they stole in Russia and now Great Britain will seize [the assets] and take it all into its budget,” Chaika said.

Update: A previous version of this article stated that Yury Chaika had demanded that Britain return $500 billion in losses. The correct number is 500 billion rubles ($8.4 billion).

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more