Russian Taxmen Nailed BP Down

The joint venture of British Petroleum and TNK may face a tax claim from Russian tax authorities.
An unidentified source in Russia's state tax authority said that TNK-BP had been told of a $87.4 million back tax claim for 2001, not including fines.

A spokesman for TNK-BP confirmed that the company had received the tax bill notification.
"We have been notified and the number is accurate," the unnamed spokesman told Dow Jones Newswires. "We're cooperating with the tax authorities on the matter."

Checks are under way to examine whether other oil companies -- Slavneft, Sibneft, Rosneft and Tatneft -- paid all the due taxes for 2001, the source said, according to Interfax.