Madrid - The Russian President, Mr Putin, said yesterday the detention of the media mogul Mr Vladimir Gusinsky by police in Moscow had been a surprise to him and he promised to look into the issue.
"It was a dubious present [for me]," he was quoted as saying. "I hope the security forces have sufficient grounds to take such an action and it has been done according to the law."
The prosecutor-general's office said that Mr Gusinsky, owner of Russia's biggest independent media group, had been detained but gave no details. Russian news agencies quoted the prosecutor's office as saying Mr Gusinsky, whose outlets have criticised Mr Putin's administration, was held on suspicion of embezzlement.