News

Someone switched his mobile phone off...

by Guy J Kewney | posted on 28 January 2009

"Last night Chichvarkin was unavailable for comment. His mobile phone rang. But after that someone turned it off," reports Luke Harding from Moscow.

Chichvarkin is described as "a Russian oligarch" and will be better known to the phone industry as the founder and former owner of mobile phone company Yevroset.

Yevroset was sold last year - and now, Chichvarkin has apparently gone to London, says Harding:

"Russian authorities yesterday said they had issued an international warrant for Chichvarkin's arrest. Prosecutors accuse him of involvement in the kidnapping and blackmail of a former employer at his company, Yevroset, who allegedly stole phones and sold them on."

London seems to be highly recommended for fleeing Russian dissidents, Harding adds.

Full cloak-and-dagger story in the Guardian