MOSCOW Russia is preparing a new attempt to extradite Boris Berezovsky from Britain after the Kremlin’s arch critic was sentenced to six years in prison by a Moscow court.

The Russian billionaire was convicted in absentia of defrauding the national airline Aeroflot of 214 million roubles (£4.28 million) as one of its main shareholders in the 1990s. He dismissed the charge as politically motivated and described the trial as “pure farce”.

British courts have rejected a series of Russian requests to extradite Mr Berezovsky, who was granted political asylum in Britain in 2003.

His sentence was handed down as President Putin appealed to voters to avert a return to the “times of humilation” by backing his United Russia party in parliamentary elections on Sunday. In the absence of genuine electoral opposition, Mr Putin has tried to rally support by warning voters repeatedly that Russia could plunge back to the “oligarchic” chaos of the 1990s without an overwhelming victory.

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