Rosneft wins out in Yukos auction

The auction took place at Yukos' headquarters in Moscow

Russian state-controlled oil firm Rosneft has won the latest auction for assets from bankrupt oil firm Yukos.

Rosneft subsidiary Neft Activ outbid little-known company Unitex for East Siberian oil and gas firm Tomskneft and other production and refining units.

Rosneft tabled a winning bid of 175.7bn roubles ($6.8bn; £3.4bn).

The Russian state has been selling off Yukos assets in order to pay off a huge $26bn back tax bill, which led to the firm being liquidated last year.

Yukos was declared bankrupt following a series of fraud inquiries, which also led to its founder and former chief Mikhail Khodorkovsky being jailed.

Yukos says the tax demands were linked to a political campaign against Mr Khodorkovsky, who is currently serving a long prison sentence in Siberia.

Analysts say that with the latest sell-off Rosneft has tightened its control over Russia's energy assets.

As well as Tomskneft - which produces about 233,000 barrels of oil a day - the group also picked up two refineries and other smaller assets in eastern Siberia.