Russia's Putin orders action after huge art theft

MOSCOW, Aug 10 (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a nationwide inventory of cultural treasures today to establish how many more artworks could be missing after a number of systematic thefts at St Peterburg's Hermitage museum.

Putin told ministers to set up a commission to start work on the audit by September. 1, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

''He has given an instruction that the Interior Ministry, Culture Ministry, Federal Security Service, Prosecutor-General's office and other agencies should take part in the work of the commission,'' Itar-Tass news agency quoted Medvedev as saying.

Officials said last week that five million dollars worth of enamel and silver artefacts had been stolen from the Hermitage, which houses works by numerous old and modern masters. Police have detained the son and husband of a curator.

An investigation revealed the museum had not conducted an inventory for decades. Art experts say Russian museums, galleries and archives have been chronically under-funded for years and that many more art treasures may have been stolen.

REUTERS SRS PM1525