Stricken Yukos hit with criminal tax case against key unit's managers

MOSCOW, Jan 26 (AFP) - Stricken Russian oil major Yukos faced further trouble Wednesday as prosecutors opened a criminal case against the managers of one of its remaining subsidiaries, the Interfax news agency reported.
The unit, Tomskneft, produces 0.357 million barrels a day, making it Yukos' biggest remaining asset after the forced sale last month of its crown jewel, Yuganskneftegaz, to a state company.
"A criminal case has been opened for large-scale tax evasion by the company," an interior ministry spokesman told the news agency.
Yukos has been dismembered to pay off multi-billion-dollar tax claims and its top officials prosecuted, including founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in what observers see as a politically-motivated campaign.
Tomskneft and another major production unit, Samaraneftegaz, are expected to be put on the auction block this year to settle Yukos's remaining tax debts.

01/26/2005 15:16 GMT - AFP