Posted on 11/25/2004 3:11:01 AM PST by M. Espinola
The senior executives of Yukos have left Russia, fearing for their safety amid a flurry of arrest and search warrants issued by Russian prosecutors for managers of the embattled oil company.
“There is not a single member of the management board left in Russia at the moment,” a person familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. Yukos, which has been crippled by tax claims of over $20bn (€15bn) and faces the forced sale of its main production asset, is now managed by remote control, according to the person.
This week, the senior management held a board meeting in London, it is understood.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.ft.com ...
Ping
I think the most of them had US passports.
...or possibly FRENCH passports. I spent 18 months working in Siberia (for a French-sounding Company) contracting to Yukos among others. The French were 'trying to get in good' with them then.
And probably lush bank accounts overseas in preparation for this day.
I suppose Putin will renationalize the Russian oil industry, which is what this is all about. The Russian "Weimar" period is over.
18 months in Siberia, sounds like the era of Stalin. Now that the French lost their backdoor deals with Saddam. Maybe they think Putin could work some 'deals'.
Do you think the election chaos in the Ukraine will result in further problems involving Russia itself, since Moscow's man is what the problem is all about.
How cold do you recall it during the dead of winter?
Siberia was not really typical of Russia as a whole. People are different breed-independent and hardy (Cossack ethnicity). Have always been 'poor orphans of Russia', so to speak. About the only things that Russia considered important about Siberia were...
- Oil/Gas reserves
- Recruitment of people for harsh weather fighting (WWII-
Moscow, Stalingrad)
- Good place to ship political prisoners
Remember it getting down to minus 45 degrees F while I was there. Some of the 'locals' reported winters MUCH worse in their lifetimes...as low as minus 70 F! Harsh climate...barren land...great people.
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