Latest News

Russia's Rosneft starts sale of German assets, Berlin says

Russian oil giant Rosneft is beginning the sale of its German properties and wishes to When the next duration of, conclude the procedure by September Berlin's trusteeship over them expires, the German federal government stated on Friday.

Attorneys for Rosneft in Germany were not right away offered for comment. Rosneft authorities in Moscow were likewise not immediately available for remark

In the wake of Russia's intrusion of Ukraine, Berlin put Rosneft assets in Germany, including Berlin's primary PCK refinery, under a trusteeship in September 2022.

The trusteeship has actually been extended since then and a Rosneft claim to challenge Berlin's choice failed in court last year.

Rosneft Russia has now stated that it has actually started a sales process and wishes to complete it within the period of a further trust extension, a representative for the German economy ministry stated in a statement.

We will examine this, consisting of additional legal safeguards. The main objective of our actions remains securing the energy supply, specifically protecting the operations of PCK Schwedt

Relations between Russia and the West collapsed after the full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and Germany has taken actions to support its energy security after feeling it had previously relied too heavily on Moscow.

The present trusteeship over Rosneft's German properties ends on March 10, and the period of a new trusteeship is set for another six months.

Russian media has put the assessment of Rosneft's assets in Germany at around $7 billion.

Separately, Germany's federal administrative court said Rosneft had actually suspended its claim challenging the trusteeship.

Friday's statement comes after Berlin signified earlier this month that it was thinking about expropriating Rosneft's. assets, arguing that if Russia restored control over the. business the refineries' operations would be threatened. because legal partners would decline to cooperate.

Moscow formerly criticised the prospective nationalisation. of the properties and stated it would protect its interests.

Rosneft owns 54.17% of the PCK Schwedt refinery. Earlier,. Shell had actually individually announced the sale of its 37.5% stake in. the refinery, which provides the majority of Berlin's fuel, to Britain's. Prax Group.

A German economy ministry representative will go to the. refinery on March 8 and discuss more actions to its staff members,. the ministry said.

(source: Reuters)