A Russian court on Friday found former economy minister Alexei Ulyukayev guilty of taking in $2-million bribe from an ally of President Vladimir Putin, in a case that could see him jailed for up to a decade. 

Ulyukayev is the highest-ranking official arrested in Putin's 17 years in power.

"Ulyukayev is guilty of having taken a bribe as he carried out official duties," said judge Larisa Semyonova of the Moscow court, with sentencing expected to follow.  

Prosecutors have called for him to face 10 years in a "harsh regime" prison colony for taking the bribe from Igor Sechin, head of the state oil giant Rosneft, in a sting operation. 

The 61-year-old should also be ordered to pay a fine of 500 million rubles ($8.5 million), prosecutors said.

Ulyukayev made an effort to joke with reporters in court before the ruling.