Theede has no Russian work permit

MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - Yukos president, U.S. citizen Steven
Theede has no permission to work in Russia, the Russian Federal
Migration Service told Interfax on Friday.
"Nobody by the name of Steven Theede has been included in the
database of foreign citizens with permission to work in the Russian
Federation," an official source from the Migration Service said.
He said that "Steven Theede has never applied to the Federal
Migration Service to receive permission to work in Russia, otherwise he
would be in the database."
Consequently, according to Russian law, this foreigner does not
have the right to work in Russia.
On Thursday evening Yukos (RTS: YUKO) distributed a statement that
Steven Theede is legally the president of Yukos.
"Following recent press reports indicating that the Federal
Migration Service is questioning Mr. Steven Theede's authority as
President of Yukos Oil Company as a result of him not possessing a
Russian Work Permit, the Company states: Mr. Theede carries out his
duties as President of Yukos Oil Company outside of Russia and Russian
law does not prevent such an arrangement," the statement said.
"Under Russian law Mr. Theede's powers and duties as Yukos
President were conferred upon him in strict compliance with Russian
Civil Code and the Law on Joint Stock Companies. The authorities vested
in him are conferred by the Board of Directors of Yukos. To this end,
the issues relating to Mr. Theede's Visa and/or Work Permit are purely a
matter of administrative law rather than corporate law and their absence
do not affect his ability to carry out his duties with the complete
authority vested in him by the Board of Directors under corporate law,"
the statement said.
Theede has been company president since summer 2004, before which
he held various positions at Yukos.

Interfax