Russian television journalist Pavel Brykin has been attacked after preparing an investigative report on the arrested mayor of the far eastern city of Vladivostok, the Vesti.ru news website reported Tuesday.
Brykin, a producer and journalist for the ?€?Honest Detective?€? program on Rossiya 1 television channel, was attacked on Aleutskaya Ulitsa in Vladivostok.
The Russian Investigative Committee for the Primorye region has opened criminal case into the attack.
According to the Investigative Committee statement, a group of unknown people assaulted the journalist, issuing death threats.
Igor Pushkaryov, who has been mayor of Vladivostok since 2008, was detained on June 1. He has been charged with abuse of power and bribery.
According to the investigation, the mayor masterminded a large-scale scheme through which the local government purchased building materials from the Vostoktcement company, controlled by Pushkaryov's relatives. The overpriced building materials bought from Vostokcement with government money provided Pushkaryov with profits of 45 million rubles ($670,000).
The financial damage to the Vladivostok municipal government by Pushkaryov has been estimated at 158 million rubles ($2.4 million).