Russia's Rosneft denies link to winner of auction for Yukos Finance

Russia's Rosneft has no connection with Promneftstroy, the winner of Wednesday's auction for Netherlands-based Yukos Finance B.V.,
the international arm of bankrupt Russian oil company Yukos, Nikolai Manvelov, a spokesman for Rosneft said Wednesday.

Thus Manvelov denied earlier reports that Promneftstroy was affiliated with Rosneft.

Promneftstroy offered 7.838 billion rubles for Yukos Finance B.V., six bidding increments above the starting price of 7.598 billion rubles.

Yukos Finance's key asset is a 49% stake in Slovak crude oil pipeline operator Transpetrol.

Transpetrol operates the stretch of the Druzhba oil pipeline running across the territory of Slovakia.
The Slovak government holds a 51% stake in Transpetrol.