On November 15, Russian Economy Minister Alexey Ulyukayev was unexpectedly arrested and became a defendant in a bribery criminal case. On the same day he lost his position in the government. Allegedly he demanded Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft’s representative to pay him $2 million for lawfully providing a positive review and evaluation of a deal that allowed Rosneft to acquire government’s share in mid-sized producer Bashneft.