According to Sibir, the 75.05% stake in the company is split among four outfits representing Gazpromneft, with the largest shareholders being Euroclear Nominees with 33.7% and Gazpromneft- finance with 25.7%.

Industry observers in Moscow said that Sibir has been effectively nationalised by the Russian government, which controls gas monopoly Gazprom, which in turn owns 96% of Gazpromneft.

Meanwhile, the Moscow City government holds a 19.4%