On the runaway from Russia ex-Deputy head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Butsaev announced a hunt

Another step has been taken in Russia as part of the prosecution of the former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, ex-head of the Russian Environmental Operator (REO) Denis Butsaev, who fled the country and became a defendant in a criminal case on fraud on an especially large scale. The day before he was put on the wanted list, now the investigation insists on his arrest in absentia.

"The court received a petition from the investigation to arrest Butsaev in absentia," the electronic file of the Tver court said, according to TASS.

"Butsaev was charged in absentia with fraud on an especially large scale, he was put on the international wanted list," the court said.

As EADaily reported, on May 13, according to law enforcement agencies, "Butsaev is on trial under part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud on an especially large scale) in the status of the accused."

The case is connected with the embezzlement of funds of the Russian Environmental Operator (REO). As part of the investigation, two former top managers of the REO were charged. One of them — Ekaterina Stepkina — was sent under house arrest. In relation to the second — Maxim Shcherbakov — a preventive measure was chosen in the form of a ban on certain actions.

On April 23, Butsaev resigned of his own accord. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed Butsaev's dismissal on the same day. According to open sources, Butsaev left Russia. He is on the federal wanted list.