RUSSIAN DETAINED IN SPAIN DIDN'T WORK FOR YUKOS

MADRID, March 15 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian national, aged forty, was detained in Marbella, Mediterranean coastal resort. The news received confirmation from Valentin Baut, drug and organized crime squad chief for Costa del Sol, posh Spanish recreation area. The man was not officially employed with Yukos, and was not registered with whatever Spanish-based company. He had no Spanish residence permit, either. The Russian is now in jail, Senor Baut said to Novosti. He refused to specify the detainee's name.

When Novosti interviewed the police officer, Sunday last, he said that, as far as police knew, there was a Yukos employee involved in money laundering. Sums went through several companies to turn into investments and real estate in underhand deals, said Senor Baut, who leads the team delving into the case.

As Spanish-based media outlets announced, Saturday, the biggest money-laundering affair throughout Spanish history has surfaced. Yukos involvement is alleged. The Russian petroleum mammoth was transferring huge sums to the Netherlands to go on to the Del Valle Abogados corporate lawyers in Marbella, assumes Agencia EFE, who refers to unclassified investigation files.

Yukos flatly denies the rumor. "Sheer ravings! They'll be saying next we were money laundering in Mars! Regard all this as an official commentary," Alexander Shadrin, Yukos press spokesman, said in a Novosti interview.