Alexey Ulyukayev does not intend to plead guilty during the investigation and the court trial. His entourage believes that there is no evidence that the minister was aware of money in the case.

The source of Rosbalt familiar with the situation said about the line of defense in the investigation and in court the former head of Ministry of Economic Development will adhere to. According to it, on November 14, 2016, Alexey Ulyukayev arrived at the office of Rosneft at the personal invitation of the company's head Igor Sechin. And he came there not for the money to "solve the problems with Bashneft "(as the investigation believes), but to discuss these issues.

However, the meeting with Sechin bever took place. Instead Ulyukayev spoke with one of the top managers of Rosneft, whom he personally knew in relation to the talks on the fate of Bashneft. Top manager gave himm some suitcases, but Ulyukayev allegedly did not know what was inside. He suspected that there might be material on  the transaction to purchase Bashneft by Rosneft, which would simplify and speed up the work of the ministry. The ex-minister said that there was a provocation in the office of the oil company.

His lawyers insist that Ulyukayev's rights for protection were violated during the arrest. FSB officers detained him at the exit from the Rosneft territory at 05:25 pm. And lawyers were admitted to him only on November, 15, at nine o'clock in the morning, after Ulyukayev had been interrogated as a suspect. The Investment Committee objects to these arguments with the following wording: "From 05:25 pm  and up to Ulyukayev's arrival to the Investigation Committee of the Russian Federation, the FSB officers conducted the necessary and planned activities and actions by the law, which did not limit Ulyukayev's freedom of movement." That is, in this period of time the Minister allegedly could safely leave.

"The arrest report shows that as per the Articles 91 and 92 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Ulyukayev was arrested at 04:30 in the framework of the criminal case initiated at 2:00... For the first time the suspect declared the need to consult with the lawyer during questioning from 06:20 to 06:40, after which he was further interrogated at 11:20 minutes as a suspect lawyers invited by him," state the materials of the Investigative Committee.

The source of Rosbalt in law enforcement agencies says that Ulyukayev was found guilty, including the testimony of witnesses and records of telephone conversations. One of the main evidence is a record of the conversation the Minister had with the head of one of the state banks, during which Ulyukayev complained that he and his staff had had no financial benefits for the work on the creation of material and technical rationale for for the purchase of Bashneft by Rosneft and threatened to obstruct the implementation of the transaction in future. The unterlocutor calmed down the Minister and promised to discuss this issue with "Igor Ivanovich" (Sechin - Rosbalt). It is noteworthy that the case papers classify the person Ulykayev talked to.


"In the case, there are a lot of materials on operative work, wiretaps, all of them are secret, so we can already say that the court hearing will be held behind closed doors," said the agency's source.

As previously reported by Rosbalt, after talks with the head of the State Bank, Ulyukayev had a conversation with Sechin. The latter, according to the source version, said that he had been told about the minister's wishes, and offered to call in Rosneft office at the Sofia Embankment on November, 14. Ulyukayev arrived at the premises of the oil company and allegedly called Sechin, who said that he was in office, but was somewhat delayed by the meeting. However, he said that the Minister would be met, and everything was ready for him.

One of the top managers of the company met him. After a brief conversation Ulyukayev was given two suitcases. The minister took one of them (his second hand held his personal suitcase), and the other the top manager agreed to carry. The suitcases were put in the trunk of the Minister's car, which then drove up to the barrier, paving the way from oil company's office area. However, the barrier woudn't not opened. The FSB officers approached the car and asked Ulyukayev to step out.