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Aeroflot Executive in Corruption Investigation

The Investigative Committee has opened an inquiry into Aeroflot deputy CEO Andrei Kalmykov, accusing him of giving privileges to companies linked to his relatives.

Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the committee, said Tuesday that Kalmykov had given contractual privileges to Sun Rise Tours, a travel agency allegedly affiliated with his relatives. According to the investigators, the agency’s founders included his wife and mother.

Before joining Aeroflot in 2010, Kalmykov, 40, worked as a top executive and board chairman of Sun Rise Tours for more than a decade.

Markin said that by “giving privileges” to his relatives, Kalmykov had damaged to the company, Interfax reported. Investigators said the state, which controls Aeroflot, lost more than 78 million rubles ($2.4 million) in damages because of Kalmykov’s actions.

According to investigators, the carrier signed a deal with Sun Rise Tours, one of the country’s leading tour operators, to sell more than 85,000 seats for the popular Antalya resort in Turkey. One seat was priced at $221.

Kalmykov signed the deal with Sun Rise, despite a higher bid from a rival company, Tez Tour, for almost half the number of seats, RBC.ru reported Tuesday, citing investigators.

On Tuesday, investigators searched Kalmykov’s office at Aeroflot, Kommersant.ru reported.

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