Swiss hand over Berezovsky papers

Aeroflot: Alleged to have been defrauded on a massive scale

The Swiss authorities have handed over to Russian officials documents believed to be related to allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars were stolen from the Russian state airline, Aeroflot.

Mr Putin is keen to show he is in charge

Over the past year, Switzerland has been helping Moscow with its investigation into allegations that two Swiss companies, owned by Russian media magnate Boris Berezovsky, defrauded Aeroflot.

Russian prosecutors allege Mr Berezovsky laundered up to $600m through two Swiss companies he owns.

Last July, the Swiss authorities raided the companies' offices and seized masses of documents.

Case reopens

At a special ceremony in the Swiss capital, Berne, those documents, as well as bank account details, were handed over to Russian investigators.

Mr Berezovsky hands in his resignation at the Duma

The papers, weighing in at 550 kg, could contain the key to the alleged scam.

Mr Berezovsky and the two companies deny any wrong-doing.

Earlier in the week, they lost an appeal at Switzerland's supreme court to block the Russian investigation.

Moscow wants to re-open the case against Mr Berezovsky, which it dropped last year, fuelling suspicions that the magnate was protected by the then president, Boris Yeltsin.

Putin makes his point

But there have been tensions between Mr Berezovsky and the current President, Vladimir Putin, who has condemned the influence of tycoons who profited from the collapse of communism.

BBC Russian affairs analyst Stephen Dalziel says the decision now to pursue the investigation into Mr Berezovsky's business interests seems to be further proof that Mr Putin is determined to show the oligarchs, and the whole country, that, as the elected leader, he is the one who is running Russia.

Last week, Mr Berezovsky resigned his seat in the lower house of parliament, the Duma, in protest at what he described as Mr Putin's growing authoritarianism.