Moscow
A Russian senator faced expulsion from the upper house of parliament this week after security agents said they caught him trying to blackmail a businessman. Sen. Levon Chakhmakhchyan, an ethnic Armenian who represents the Russian republic of Kalmykia, is accused of a murky deal intended to stave off an audit of his company. Several prominent regional politicians have been accused of similar crimes in the past few weeks. Some Russian analysts say the trend is part of a Kremlin effort to eliminate competition ahead of the 2008 presidential election. President Vladimir Putin cannot run for a third term but is expected to anoint a successor soon. Others say the arrests are part of a genuine crackdown on corruption.
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