The property of the Russian satellite operator in France can be seized.
According to RBC Agency that made its own investigation, the state-owned company “Space Communications” may suffer from the court decision on the YUKOS case.
As the RBC sources revealed, the national operator signed an agreement with the Paris law firm “Belot Malan et Associes” some months ago. Under that agreement, the company’s lawyers will render representative and advisory services to the Russian company, if necessary to protect the interests of the “Space Communications” in the French courts.
RBC was unable to find out what kind of the national operator’s property may be seized.
As reported before, following to the YUKOS shareholders’ lawsuit against the Russian Federation there were already seized the Euronews assets of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, which is 7.5% of the stock of the French company.
The claims of former YUKOS shareholders to the Russian state were considered in the European courts. The European Court of Human Rights ruled last summer that the government was to pay EUR 1.87 billion to shareholders, the Hague Court of Arbitration ruled to compensate USD 50 billion to YUKOS. The Russian government did not agree with the court decision, intending to appeal against it in November this year.
The Russian national satellite communications operator “Satellite Communications”, established in 1967, has been actively cooperating with its French partners on designing space vehicles. 75% of satellites (10 of 13) were designed and manufactured in collaboration with French companies like Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defense and Space.
