Russia's richest man kept in jail

A Moscow court ruled today that prosecutors can keep Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia’s richest man and former chief of the country’s largest oil company, jailed another three months during an investigation on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

Prosecutors had requested that Khodorkovsky, the former head of Yukos who has been in pre-trial detention since October 25, be held until March 25 and the court agreed to the request.

Khodorkovsky is facing fraud and tax evasion charges that are seen as a part of a Kremlin-backed effort to curb his political clout and avenge his funding of opposition parties.

Khodorkovsky, Russia’s richest person according to Forbes magazine, resigned as chief executive of Yukos shortly after his arrest, saying he wanted to take the company out of the line of fire.

He remains Yukos’ top shareholder, although a court has frozen his assets.

The official probe into Yukos has included numerous searches at Yukos and affiliated companies and banks, and investigations into what prosecutors say are several killings and attempted killings of officials and businessmen who had conflicts with Yukos.

Khodorkovsky and Yukos officials have denied the allegations.

President Vladimir Putin has cast the probe against Yukos as part of an anti-corruption crusade, but it has spooked foreign investors and drawn concern in the West.