Authorities raid defence agency in embezzlement case

(25 Oct 2012) 1. Wide pan from Defence Ministry to Oboronservice company building 2. Close up of street sign 3. Wide of Oboronservice company building 4. Mid of state symbol on gates 5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vladimir Markin, Investigative Committee spokesman: "According to information uncovered during the investigation, officials in the Defence Ministry chose the more valuable and prestigious assets, locations and shares from the property held by Oboronservice Company, including in Moscow. After that they generally invested in huge amounts of money from the state budget in those properties and after that they sold off those facilities at below market value to companies affiliated to Oboronservice." 6. Mid of officials carrying away boxes of documents 7. Wide of street 8. Officials placing boxes of documents in car 9. Mid of check point at Ministry of Defence 10. Mid of people unloading a truck STORYLINE: Russia's top investigative agency has launched a criminal probe into alleged fraud in the sell off of Defence Ministry assets. The Investigative Committee said on Thursday that the state had suffered damage of more than three (b) billion rubles (95 (m) million US dollars) from the sale of prized real estate in Moscow and other regions of Russia. It said that that investigators questioned officials and conducted searches in the state-controlled Oboronservice company linked to the Defence Ministry. The agency said it suspected unidentified ministry officials of using the company to sell valuable assets at prices far below their market value. "According to information uncovered during the investigation, officials in the Defence Ministry chose the more valuable and prestigious assets, locations and shares from the property held by Oboronservice Company, including in Moscow," said Vladimir Markin, the Investigative Committee spokesman. "After that they generally invested in huge amounts of money from the state budget in those properties and after that they sold off those facilities at below market value to companies affiliated to Oboronservice." Russian news agencies quoted Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov as saying that investigators' claims had yet to be proven. He said the ministry would welcome an objective probe. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a61efa314c176c8fcecf6afc4fd27b2c Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork