Russia denies links to UN oil-for-food corruption

RUSSIAN officials yesterday furiously denied allegations linking companies and politicians to corruption in the UN oil-for-food programme for Iraq, saying that the report implicating them relied upon forgeries and false statements.

Elsewhere, the head of Sweden's AB Volvo said the company had drawn the conclusion that payments to the regime were "the way to do business in Iraq." In Italy, a prominent politician accused in the scandal said he received "neither a drop of oil, nor a single cent."

Companies and officials from governments around the world have promised to investigate accusations of massive fraud that extended to 2,200 companies and individuals involved in the humanitarian programme.