Changes at Yukos fuel rumors

As speculation emerged of a deep split within Yukos, the company’s chief executive, Simon Kukes, stepped down on Thursday and was replaced by Steven Theede, formerly its chief operating officer.

A Russian-born American, Kukes had been in the position since November, when he took over from the Yukos founder and controlling shareholder, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who remains in prison. Khodorkovsky, Russia’s wealthiest man, is facing trial on a number of fraud and tax evasion charges. In a separate case, Yukos also faces a $3.4 billion tax bill from authorities.

At the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday, the former chief of the Russian central bank, Victor Gerashchenko, was appointed chairman of Yukos and is expected to help resolve its dispute with Russian tax authorities.

The Yukos board also endorsed a plan, outlined in a letter to Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, that would restructure the tax debt in the event Yukos is forced to pay. The company offered to sell assets to cover the claim or to facilitate the transfer of control from Khodorkovsky and his investment company, Group Menatep, to another shareholder of the government’s choosing.

Russian market analysts said Kukes’s departure would not affect the day-to-day operations of the company, but that it signaled a split within Yukos’ career oil men and the majority shareholders, which include Khodorkovsky.

‘‘Kukes attempted to de-politicize the situation and the Menatep people don’t want that,’’ said Eric Kraus, chief strategist at Sovlink Securities, a brokerage firm in Moscow.

Shareholders said the accession of Theede, a former Conoco executive, is generally neutral for the company — and that investors’ chief concern is a resolution of the $3.4 billion tax claim. ‘‘Given all the drama, its not surprising Kukes resigned,’’ said Charles Tennes, chief investment officer at Alfa Capital. ‘‘We know no one executive has a whole lot of power, but we hope they’re taking stewardship seriously.’’

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