Details on Mikhail Khodorkovsky's detention

YUKOS chief executive officer (CEO) Mikhail Khodorkovsky was detained for interrogation purposes, officials in the information and public relations department of the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office told RIA Novosti.

Khodorkovsky was subpoenaed to appear for interrogation on Friday, nonetheless failing to show up; consequently, investigators decided to bring him in, a spokesman for the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office noted.

Talking to RIA Novosti, Anton Surnin from the Novosibirsk regional police department's press center noted that the YUKOS CEO was detained at Tolmachevo airport at 5.00 a.m. local time. In his words, the police didn't take part in this operation.

Khodorkovsky is not staying at any local police station or prison now, Surnin stressed.

Talking to RIA Novosti, a duty officer at the Tolmachevo airport's transport police division said he knew nothing about Khodorkovsky's arrest.

Our division didn't register this fact; nor did our officers help detain Khodorkovsky, the duty officer added.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) didn't have to inform the transport police division, if this operation was conducted by FSB operatives, the duty officer explained.

YUKOS spokesman Alexander Shadrin doesn't know Khodorkovsky's whereabouts.

We are doing our best in order to settle the situation, Shadrin said. In his words, an official corporate statement will be issued some time later.

Shadrin also mentioned specific details of Khodorkovsky's arrest. The plane carrying Khodorkovsky was blocked by trucks at 5.00 a.m., immediately after landing at Novosibirsk airport, Shadrin noted. In his words, two buses carrying armed men drove up; their passengers rushed inside the aircraft, shouting to everyone to drop their weapons. After that, they told Khodorkovsky that he must go with them, producing an arrest warrant, Shadrin added.

Indeed, the company received a subpoena ordering Khodorkovsky to appear for interrogation in line with some unspecified case, the YUKOS spokesman went on to say. Those who brought the subpoena were informed in the written form that Khodorkovsky, who was staying in Novosibirsk, was therefore unable to show up for interrogation, Shadrin claims.