MOSCOW, June 6 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) - Mayor of Vladivostok Igor Pushkarev charged with abuse of office and commercial bribery, has filed an appeal against his detention, Moscow’s Basmanny District Court’s press office told RAPSI on Monday.

On June 2, the court ordered the detention of Pushkarev until July 31.

Pushkarev has pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him and expressed his willingness to cooperate with investigators.

Earlier, official representative for Russia’s Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin announced that between 2009 and 2014 Pushkarev «from mercenary or other personal motives» organized the acquisition by «Roads of Vladivostok» of a large volume of construction materials from the group of companies «Vostokcement» allegedly controlled by his relatives. Investigators believe that construction materials have been purchased at inflated prices. Pushkarev has received upwards of 45 million rubles  ($673,000) for this.

The damage allegedly caused by Pushkarev has been estimated at more than 158 million rubles ($2.4 million), according to investigation.

Moreover, in the period from 2012 to 2014, the mayor of Vladivostok funneled about 1.4 million rubles ($21,000) to Andrey Lushnikov, the CEO of the municipal unitary enterprise Roads of Vladivostok, supposedly controlled by the City Administration. Lushikov in turn organized purchase of building materials at overcharge price, investigators claim.