Russia Expects Yukos to Pay Tax Bill Within Month

Russia's Justice Ministry says it expects the embattled oil company Yukos to pay its multi-billion dollar tax bill in a month.
Russian news agencies quote chief bailiff Andrei Belyakov as saying the country's largest oil firm has already paid 20 percent of the $3.4 billion debt.

Oil prices soared to their highest level in years on Wednesday after Yukos announced it may have to stop oil production because of a court order. Yukos share prices also plummeted.

The oil prices eased and Yukos shares rebounded after the Justice Ministry denied on Thursday that such restrictions ever existed.

Critics say the government actions against Yukos are in response to former Yukos chief Mikhail Khodorkovsky's support of the political opposition. The Kremlin denies the allegation.


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