Key Yukos man killed in air crash

More and more foreigners are now working for Russian firms

The boss of Russia's Group Menatep, a holding company that controls the oil giant Yukos, has been killed in a helicopter crash in southern England.

Stephen Curtis, a UK national, was travelling from London to Bournemouth when the helicopter crashed outside the Dorset town on Wednesday evening.

The helicopter's pilot was also killed in the crash.

Mr Curtis took over at Menatep from Platon Lebedev, who was arrested last July on charges of state theft.

Mr Lebedev remains in jail awaiting trial.

Fled

A number of foreigners, mainly US citizens, have been appointed to key positions at Yukos since the arrest last October on fraud and tax evasion charges of then-chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Mr Khodorkovsky later resigned but this did not relieve the pressure on Yukos.

Menatep's stake in Yukos of more than 40% was frozen and several key shareholders fled from Russia.

Yukos has also faced demands from Russian authorities for billions of dollars in back taxes and is in the process of unwinding a merger with domestic oil rival Sibneft that was unexpectedly called off.

Also on Thursday, the AP news agency reported that Swiss police raided companies across the country in connection with Russian investigations into Yukos.

Many Russians believe the case against Yukos and Mr Khodorkovsky is politically motivated.

The tycoon made his fortune through controversial privatisations in the 1990s and later funded opposition groups, breaking what analysts say was a tacit agreement to stay out of politics in return for avoiding investigation of his financial affairs.