Russia's prosecutor general battles corruption allegations

Russia's top prosecutor today lashed out at eye-watering corruption allegations against his family from opposition activists, the latest claims of rampant graft by members of President Vladimir Putin's elite.
An investigation by leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's anti-corruption fund accused the two sons of Russia's prosecutor general Yury Chaika of illegally amassing large fortunes with the help of officials under their father's command.
An online video released on Tuesday contained detailed allegations that Artyom Chaika was involved in the illegal seizure of a shipping firm and was the part owner of a multi-million dollar hotel in Greece, while his younger brother Igor had won government contracts under shady circumstances.

The allegations did not directly implicate Yury Chaika himself but the prosecutor rubbished them today and said they were a political hit job.
"It is obvious for me that this was produced to order and clearly not done with the money of those who produced it. Big money," Chaika was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti news agency.
"The details are of a deliberately deceitful nature and are without any foundation. I am absolutely clear who and what is behind it. I think I will say in the near future."

Asked if parliament plans to summon Chaika to explain the allegations, Russia's top Communist lawmaker Gennady Zyuganov went as far as to say that the investigation was ordered by the CIA.

"I don't want to comment on this, it was published by the CIA," Communist party leader Zyuganov said, according to Russian agencies. "And everything the CIA does has not been in our interests."
The probe into Chaika's family is the latest into high-ranking officials by Navalny, who has spearheaded protests against Putin's rule and been repeatedly put on trial in cases he insists are politically motivated.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has shrugged off the report, saying yesterday that the authorities have not yet had time to read it.
Previous investigations by Navalny have targeted Peskov himself over a suspiciously lavish lifestyle and the ex-head of Russia's national railways Vladimir Yakunin, whose mansion is so expansive it allegedly has a climate-controlled storage room for fur coats.

During Russia's 15 years key allies in Putin's inner circle have amassed vast fortunes in what critics say is a huge system of crony capitalism.