DUSHANBE, August 29, Asia-Plus -- Major Max Kapoustinsky, the chief of the food service at the Russian military base in Tajikistan deserted after audit commission had revealed a shortage of 15 million Russian rubles in the food service, Asia-Plus has learned from a reliable source at the military base.

A military prosecutor’s office of the Russian military base in Tajikistan has confirmed this information.  However, they refrained from giving further details, noting that an investigation is under way and several other servicemen of the military base had been detained on suspicion of having been involved in embezzlement.