MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/: The Russian state-owned JSC United Engine Corporation (a Rostec subsidiary) has confirmed that one of its employees was detained. His interests will be defended, the corporation’s press service told reporters on Thursday.
"We confirm that our employee was detained overseas," the corporation said, adding that the detainee is not involved in any unlawful activity.
"The corporation will do everything possible to protect his interests," the press service stressed.
In turn, the Russian Foreign Ministry blasted the move as an example of unfair competition and said that the Russian embassy in Rome was monitoring the situation.
Earlier on Thursday, the Russian State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology Industrial Product Rostec said it was studying the arrest of a Russian citizen, employee of the Russian JSC United Engine Corporation, at the US request in Italy. The staffer is receiving all the assistance necessary and legal support in particular, a spokesperson for the corporation told reporters.
The corporation later told TASS that the detainee is Alexander Korshunov, JSC United Engine Corporation director of business development.
When attending the plenary session of the fifth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked a question about the issue of Russian citizens being detained in third countries at the US request in the context of Korshunov’s arrest. Putin slammed it as a very bad practice and linked such arrests to possible competition. "This is a very bad practice, it strains our state relations. I say this without a hint of a joke or irony. We often see no grounds for such hostile actions. I have every reason to believe that it often is connected to competition," Putin said.
