“A political loser tried to stage a provocation.” Deputy Prime Minister Prikhodko responded to Navalny’s investigation

Deputy head of the Russian government Sergei Prikhodko for the first time commented on the investigation of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) Alexei Navalny, who accused the Deputy Prime Minister of taking a bribe from billionaire Oleg Deripaska.

“The political loser once again tried to arrange a provocation and remind himself of himself, chaotically mixing everything possible and impossible,” Prikhodko said in a commentary to RBC.

According to Prikhodko, he is not going to sue Navalny. "It's enough that other people do it," the Deputy Prime Minister added. Earlier, Oleg Deripaska announced his intention to defend his reputation in court.

In his statement, Prikhodko called Deripaska his friend.

“By and large, this would have to be answered like a man, but we will remain within the legal framework,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

RBC

• The FBK investigation says that Sergei Prikhodko was vacationing on Oleg Deripaska's yacht in the company of girls whom Alexei Navalny calls workers in the "escort industry". According to Navalny, Deripaska paid for the official's vacation, which is a bribe.
• Deripaska, after the publication of the investigation, published a post on Instagram, in which he called the charges false and promised to go to court. After Navalny asked in the comments what information was false, the businessman closed the comments on the post.
• The Russian government and the Kremlin declined to comment on the FBK investigation.