Putin Defends Yukos Oil Assets Purchase (AP)

[News Manager]

AP - President Vladimir Putin on Thursday strongly defended the purchase of Yukos oil assets by a state-owned company, saying the state was protecting its interests in moving to get control of the one of the biggest production facilities in Russia.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041223/ap_on_bi_ge/russia_oil_fight]Read more...[/url]