Yukos deal expected to overshadow Putin conference

Russian President Vladimir Putin today scheduled a news conference that is expected to be overshadowed by the controversial sale of the embattled Yukos oil giant’s core unit and the Kremlin’s course toward Ukraine.

In an apparently secret, no-bid sale, the state-owned Rosneft oil company bought an obscure company that several days ago purchased Yukos’ most important production unit, Yuganskneftegaz.