Russia asks Interpol to put Browder on wanted list

* Little chance of extradition from UK, ministry concedes

* Hermitage sceptical about Russian move

By Dmitry Zhdannikov

MOSCOW, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Russia has asked Interpol to put William Browder, once one of Russia's largest foreign investors, on an international wanted list as part of a probe into a $16.9 million tax evasion, the interior ministry said on Friday.

Browder, who is chief executive of Hermitage Capital Management, was stopped at a Moscow airport in 2005 and deported on national security grounds.

Browder has repeatedly accused top Russian government officials, judges, security officials and private citizens of stealing large sums from his fund and the case against him has spooked many international investors and raised concern about Russia's investment climate.

Russia's Interior Ministry had put Browder on the wanted list and the investigator in his case could present charges next week, said a ministry spokeswoman, Irina Dudukina.

The ministry may then request a court to issue an arrest warrant for Browder, she said, but conceded it was unlikely he would be sent to Russia from Britain, where he now lives.