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Russian oil giant owes $3.3 billion

MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Embattled Russian oil giant Yukos owes $3.3 billion in back taxes and fines, the Russian tax ministry said Tuesday.

The ministry accused the firm of evading taxes by setting up a web of affiliated firms, the BBC said. Yukos' largest shareholder and former boss, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, has been in jail on tax fraud charges since being arrested in October.

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Critics say the charges are an attempt by the Russian government to keep Khodorkovsky out of politics.

President Vladimir Putin comes up for re-election in March 2004, and Khodorkovsky was thought to have been considering a challenge.

In late December, a Moscow court ruled Khodorkovsky would have to stay in jail until March 25.

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