Sharp work, Vlad

You have to hand it to Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has made a killing out of Yukos. Not only did Putin get to lock up a pesky political opponent, he also reaped a fortune by dismembering Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s oil company. The crowning touch is that international investors not only sanctioned the process, but financed it too. The amounts involved are breathtaking. Essentially, the Kremlin milked Yukos from both ends. First there was the sale of Yukos’ assets. These raised some $28bn, and will ...