Preliminary hearings into the Boris Berezovsky case opened in Moscow's Savelovsky court, on Thursday. The self-exiled tycoon is being tried for alleged embezzlement of 214 MLN roubles, that's around $US 8 MLN, from Russia's main air carrier Aeroflot.
Mr Beresovsky's lawyers say they will not be taking part in the closed hearings but have reserved the right to change their position. The court provided extra time to Mr Berezovsky's new court-appointed lawyer to examine the 123 tomes of the case. If convicted, Mr Beresovsky may face up to ten years in prison for fraud and money laundering. Howeverow he now enjoys political asylum in Britain and is unlikely to be extradited to Russia.