Russia accuses UK of sheltering over 60 fugitives

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

More than 60 criminals have fled from Russia to the U.K. since 2002, Russian Attorney General Yury Chayka said on Sunday.

"Since 2002, we have sent requests to the U.K. for the extradition of 61 persons who are accused or have already been convicted in Russia for economic crimes.

"The amount of damage is more than 0.5 trillion rubles ($87 billion). This is only the direct damage, and the scale of funds they have collected abroad is much higher," he said speaking to a local media outlet.

Sometimes British authorities know about illegal activities of Russian citizens but grant them asylum anyway, Chayka added. All these people are engaged in some doubtful activities in the U.K., but when something happens to them, British authorities blame Russia, he said hinting at the Skripal case.

He cited as an example the case of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who fled to the U.K. in 2003 and was granted political asylum under the pretext of false information about his attempted murder.

"The British authorities were aware of the false nature of the statement regarding the preparation of the attack on Berezovsky, but still granted him refugee status", he said.

"We will publish copies of some documents from correspondence with the U.K. Home office, including those with Theresa May, who at that time headed the Home office.

"These records indicate directly that the British authorities knew about the false character of the statement regarding attack preparation against Berezovsky but granted him refugee status anyway," he said.

Chayka recalled a new law due to which any foreign property owner must explain the origin of his assets.

"I assure you that many of them [fugitive oligarchs] will find it very difficult to do so [explain the origin of their assets]. And we hope very much that this law will be applied by the British authorities in accordance with the rules of a civilized state, and not on the principle of 'rob what was robbed'.

"They stole in Russia, now the U.K. will take everything to its budget. They can keep the criminals but pay back the money. It's our money," he said.

Relations between Russia and the U.K. have been tense since March when former Russian spy Sergei Skirpal and his daughter came under an alleged nerve agent attack in the southern English Salisbury city.

The British authorities alleged Russia was behind the attempted murder, a charge Moscow denies.

U.K. expelled 23 Russian diplomats -- and 121 diplomats were expelled world-wide as a diplomatic crisis brewed.

NATO and the EU have supported the U.K. and condemned the attack.