{
  "id": 18524988,
  "title": "Russian Investigative Committee representative speaks at UN meeting in Vienna despite sanctions against her boss",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/russian-investigative-committee-representative-speaks-at-un-meeting",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T16:12:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Insider",
    "slug": "the-insider",
    "url": "https://theins.press/en/news/299275"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Anna Starzhinskaya, a department head at Russia’s Investigative Committee, addressed a United Nations working group meeting on asset recovery in Vienna, despite sanctions imposed on her boss. The Investigative Committee highlighted Russia’s efforts in combating corruption and emphasized the need for enhanced international collaboration. Bastrykin, who has been sanctioned by the European Union since 2021 for alleged involvement in the prosecution of Alexei Navalny, has been the subject of sanctions. Starzhinskaya participated in the 20th session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Asset Recovery, which took place from November 3-5 at the Vienna International Centre. The committee, a subsidiary body of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption, invites governments and international organizations, but not non-governmental observers. During her speech, Starzhinskaya stated that Russia adheres to a policy of \"zero tolerance\" towards corruption. She reported that Russian authorities have identified and seized over $486 million in assets belonging to individuals suspected of corruption in 2026. Starzhinskaya also discussed Russia's cooperation with the Russian federal financial intelligence agency Rosfinmonitoring, their methods for tracing cryptocurrency transactions, and their response to over 6,000 requests for international legal assistance over four years. The EU's sanctions on Bastrykin, imposed in March 2021, were due to his alleged role in arbitrary detentions, the prosecution of Navalny, and the suppression of peaceful protests. The sanctions have also extended to other officials within the Investigative Committee.",
  "summary": "Anna Starzhinskaya, a department head in the Main Investigative Directorate of Russia’s Investigative Committee, spoke at a UN working group meeting on asset recovery held earlier this week in Vienna. The Investigative Committee said its representative discussed Russia’s experience fighting corruption and called for greater international cooperation. The agency’s chairman, Alexander Bastrykin,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}