A municipal lawmaker and entrepreneur from Vladivostok is believed to have been kidnapped in connection with his business activities.
According to news reports, United Russia lawmaker Dmitry Suleyev went missing over the weekend after setting out for the far eastern city of Khabarovsk.
Investigators said in a statement Monday that his wife had appealed to law enforcement officials and that they would run a check into the incident. A criminal case has not yet been opened.
Local news portal PrimaMedia reported that Suleyev left home to travel by train to Khabarovsk late Saturday, after which he asked his sister to withdraw the money he kept in a safe-deposit box and hand it over to a group of unidentified individuals.
His wife said that in 2011 the same people had raided a series of Vladivostok-based businesses belonging to Suleyev, the news portal said.
"I hope that Dmitry is OK, and let's not forget that he is the father of two young children," Dmitry Novikov, Suleyev's friend and a regional talk-show host, told PrimaMedia on Monday.
Suleyev, who was elected to the Vladivostok Duma in October, chairs the city's economic policy and state property committee and heads the Primorye region branch of the Delovaya Rossia business lobby, according to Interfax.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
