Russians press Gusinsky
Alexandrov questioned, $360 mil libel suit filed
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Gusinsky remains confined to Moscow, a condition of his release. As a result, he will likely have to refuse an invitation from U.S. Congress to visit Washington, D.C., at the end of the month to speak on freedom of the press, human rights and religious persecution.
The interrogation Thursday of one of Gusinsky's closest friends, his right-hand man Mikhail Alexandrov, on charges of possession of ammunition, also looks like a ploy to keep the Media-Most camp on edge.
Law enforcement officials searched Alexandrov's Moscow flat and dacha, as well as those of his parents, claiming that they were looking for arms and narcotics. The ammunition had been found during the May 11 armed raid on Media-Most's main office and belonged to a pistol Gusinsky had received as a formal state gift.
Alexandrov was released on condition that he not leave Moscow, but the action against him implies that Gusinsky could be arrested again at any moment.
Libel suit
More bizarre yet was an announcement Thursday from natural resources giant Lukoil that it was starting a 10 billion ruble ($360 million) libel action against Media-Most's main TV channel, NTV.
Lukoil sources said it was reacting to a July 3 NTV program that raised doubts about the death, three years ago, of Lukoil VP Vitaly Shmidt and showed his relatives complaining that the oil giant had swindled them out of his rightful share of the biz.
Lukoil claimed the program had adversely affected its stock price and threatened a New York stock market placing of a 4.5% stake in the venture.
Media-Most responded immediately, stating that the program, "Sovershenno Secretno" (Absolutely Secret), had been made by an indie production company and that any legal action should be directed against it.
Legal aspects aside, the sheer size of the libel damages being sought gives this latest development a strong political tinge.
