The body of a Russian politician has been found cemented in a barrel, and a former government official has been accused of ordering the killing over an $80 million (€59 million) debt, officials say.

About 30 people have died in the last three days as massive forest fires wiped out villages and vast areas of woodland in Russia, state television reported today.

FOREST fires raged across Russia yesterday, destroying villages, surrounding one southern city and killing at least 20 people, including three firefighters.

Arctic temperatures gripping most of Russia pushed the reported death toll close to 40 today as weather forecasters warned that no significant thaw was expected in Moscow before February.

The richest man in Russia after Roman Abramovich today unveiled plans to float his steel giant on the London market with a mooted value of £6bn (€8.8bn).