Russia to Sell off Key Part of Embattled

 

By Bill Gasperini

The Russian government says it will auction¹ off the main production unit of embattled Yukos Oil next month as part of its long legal battle against the company and its former director, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The starting price is far lower than expected in a case that many see as politically motivated.

Russia says it will sell off the production facility known as Yuganskneftgaz for $8.6 billion to help settle a bill for back taxes it says Yukos owes the government.

This is substantially lower than the $10.4 billion price announced previously², which itself is only half of what Yukos and many financial analysts³ say the Siberian oil facility is really worth.

The lower price has added to fears that someone linked to the government may acquire the oil unit for a bargain price in a case that is already mired⁴ in controversy⁵.

Yuganskneftgaz pumps 60 percent of the oil produced by Yukos, Russia's largest oil company, which has been mired in a drawn-out legal battle with the authorities over how to pay billions of dollars in back taxes.
 
But critics say freezing the company's bank accounts and seizing what some say is the "crown jewel" of the company will effectively dismember Yukos and hand it over to those with insider connections.

Alexei Kandaurov is a deputy in the Russian parliament and former head of Yukos' analytical⁶ department.
 
Mr. Kandaurov says the decision to sell the production unit is a continuation of the political show called "the fight against the oligarchs", or the public whipping of Yukos. He adds that this is a bad development for Russia, particularly its investment climate.

The announcement of the sale comes just days after the government issued an arrest warrant for Yukos' chief lawyer and added billions of dollars more onto its back tax bill.

Tax authorities claim Yukos owes more than $18 billion, with another $6 billion likely to come soon.

The legal battle is unfolding parallel with a criminal trial of Yukos' former director Mikhail Khodorkovsky, charged with fraud and tax evasion⁷.

Mr. Khodorkovsky was arrested just over a year ago in a case critics say was brought because he was funding opposition⁸ political parties and seeking to break the government's monopoly on the construction of oil pipelines⁹.

Mr. Khodorkovsky is one of the so-called "oligarchs" who amassed¹⁰ tremendous fortunes a decade ago by taking control of formerly¹¹ state-owned assets, especially oil companies.

The affair has rattled¹² Russia's financial markets and raised concerns about Russia's commitment to judicial¹³ procedures and free market reforms.

Bill Gasperini, VOA news, Moscow.
注释：
auction off 拍卖掉
embattled 四面楚歌的
sell off 廉价卖清
Siberian 西伯利亚的
oil facility 石油信贷（为石油购买者提供的信贷）
bargain price 对买主有利的价格
mire 陷入
drawn-out 持续很久的
back tax 退缴税
crown jewel 共有资产
fraud 欺诈
tax evasion 逃税
monopoly 垄断
oligarch 寡头政治执政者
judicial 程序的

1 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

6 analytical   

adj.分析的；用分析法的

参考例句：

• I have an analytical approach to every survey.对每项调查我都采用分析方法。
• As a result,analytical data obtained by analysts were often in disagreement.结果各个分析家所得的分析数据常常不一致。

7 evasion   

n.逃避，偷漏(税)

参考例句：

• The movie star is in prison for tax evasion.那位影星因为逃税而坐牢。
• The act was passed as a safeguard against tax evasion.这项法案旨在防止逃税行为。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

10 amassed   

v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
• They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

12 rattled   

慌乱的，恼火的

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

13 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。