On March 15 RusInfoCentre will release Exiled Oligarchs Report

MOSCOW, Feb.10 - Russian Information Centre Monitoring - The release date of the report on activities of exiled Russian oligarchs in the West to grab power in Moscow is set to March 15. The report by Russian Information Centre, an independent media monitoring service, demonstrates that the notorious Russian oligarchs of the 90s are scheming a triumphant return after 2008 presidential elections in Russia.
Highlights of the report, based on analysis of open sources such as Western and Russian media, on and off the record statements by experts, businessmen, law enforcement officials and

politicians, demonstrate that the exiled oligarchs, who were de-facto rulers of Russia in the 90s, are aggressively trying to revamp their image tarnished by plundering the Russian economy and alleged ties with the organized crime. On the other, in some cases, - regain physical access to countries like the US, which denied them visas, vying for support of political forces in the West, soliciting former and active law enforcement and intelligence officials in Great Britain, the U.S., Israel, Italy and Eastern European countries with a dual task of using their expertise and connections to soften official scrutiny of their shadowy business practices and getting help in undermining the current government of Russia.
The scope of this campaign can be illustrated by the case of Mikhail Chernoy who along with his brother Leo gained almost full control over Russia's aluminum industry in the bloody "aluminum wars" of the 90s. While Leo was in charge of business, Mikhail was reported to act as a liaison with organized crime, which provided "protection",often leaving numerous corpses after "business disputes." European law enforcement has repeatedly suspected Chernoy of money laundering and mafia connections, he was investigated in the US, Russia, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Israel.
Mikhail, now living in Israel after the US stripped him of visa in 1999, appears to be the 'hub' linking Russian mafia, corrupt politicians, Chechen separatists, opposition and notorious archenemy of the Kremlin -- the exiled oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who found refuge in London. Chernoy flew to Ukraine from London three times last year on Berezovsky's personal jet and soon may even be managing his assets, replacing Georgian businessman Patarkatsishvili, who has distanced himself from Berezovsky.
His brother Leo stated in a recent interview to the RBC Russian newswire, which sounded like an appeal to the opposition groups, that "the fate of Russia depends on the right, I stress -- right forms of corporate government; I am confident of this and hope to persuade those understanding that the clock is ticking."

Russian Information Centre is a non-profit nonpartisan research and media monitoring organization.

For advance copies of the report please e-mail RusInfoService@mail.ru