Ex-shareholders in Yukos disclose which of Russian asset has been seized in France / Photo from gazeta.ru
Former Yukos shareholders seeking $50 billion in compensation from Russia under a Hague court ruling have for the first time announced the amount of Russian assets seized in France to recover the debt, saying that the assets are estimated at EUR 1 billion, according to Russian news agency RBC.
The shareholders also disclosed detail about the Russian assets seized in France, claiming that they include Russian defense exports/imports agency Rosoboronexport's funds related to a contract for the supply of Mistral helicopter carriers, RBC reported with reference to a press release from GML, which represents Yukos' former shareholders.
These are financial guarantees provided by Societe Generale to Rosoboronexport in connection with the termination of the Mistral contract. Yet, GML did not name the exact amount of the guarantees.
Among the frozen assets is money kept on a bank account at VTB's French-based subsidiary in the interests of the Russia Today international media group and Goszagransobstvennost, a Russian state-owned company for management of property abroad, GML said without disclosing the sums.
What is more, seized are debts of France's Eutelsat before Russian state-owned Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) and more than 3% of Eutelsat's shares owned by the RSCC.
Frozen in France as part of the Yukos case are also payments by such French companies as Arianespace, Eutelsat and Air France, which are due to be paid to Russian counteragents.
As was reported earlier, the Russian assets seized in France included a Russian State TV and Radio Broadcasting Company VGTRK-owned stake in TV Channel Euronews and a Kremlin-owned plot of land in Paris where a Russian Orthodox center for religion and culture is being built.
The seizure of Russian-owned assets abroad began in summer 2015 to meet a claim filed by the former Yukos shareholders.