Russian authorities have filed new charges against exiled billionaire Boris Berezovsky and have again called on Britain to extradite him, after he urged an overthrow of President Vladimir Putin.
Prosecutors Friday opened a criminal case against Berezovsky on charges of seeking a violent overthrow of Russia's government. They also formally charged him with misappropriating $8 million from Russia's Aeroflot airlines while a shareholder in the company in the 1990s.
The action follows Friday's publication of Berezovsky's remarks in Britain's Guardian newspaper. Berezovsky said it is now only possible to change the Russian regime through force - rather than democratic means. He said he is in contact with Russia's political elite and added that he is funding their efforts.
In a later clarification, Berezovsky rejected violence, saying he advocates only bloodless methods.
Britain's Foreign Office pledged to monitor Berezovsky and deplored any calls for a violent overthrow of a sovereign government.
Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 when the government began investigating his business empire. He settled in Britain, which refused earlier Russian demands to extradite him.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
