Zamoskvoretsky Court of Moscow announced the verdict to ex-Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev, accused of extorting $ 2 million from the head of Rosneft Igor Sechin for agreeing a deal to buy shares in Bashneft.

The court sentenced Ulyukayev to imprisonment for 8 years of strict regime, local media write.

The prosecution asked the former top official 10 years of a strict-regime colony and a fine of 500 million rubles. Protection insisted on the innocence of Ulyukayev.

The court confirmed the position of the investigation that in 2016 Ulyukayev demanded a bribe from Sechin for approval of the transaction for the purchase of Bashneft. Former minister was detained in the office of Rosneft when receiving money.

Ulyukayev himself denies his guilt. He stated that no one except Sechin had heard the words about the alleged bribe demand. Ulyukaev also insists that he did not know about the contents of the bag of money that he received from Sechin. Former minister intends to seek investigation of bribery provocation.