Ukraine freezes $154 mln worth of HMS, Tatneft, Rostec and Rusal assets

MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax) - Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have frozen more than UAH4.5 billion ($154 million at current exchange rate) worth of assets of Russian companies, Ukraine's Interior Ministry reported.

The corporate rights of nine Ukrainian businesses have been frozen, along with 70 properties, including land parcels. "The firms belong to Russian holding companies Rostec, Tatneft , Rusal and HMS Group ," the ministry said.

The frozen assets "could be used in subversive activities against Ukraine," the ministry added.

It was reported earlier a number of Tatneft assets were seized and put under the management of the Ukrainian state, including 115 properties (tank farms, filling stations, nonresidential buildings, land parcels) and 118 gasoline tank trucks and other automobiles. The value of the seized property and corporate rights was estimated at more than $82 million.

It was also reported that the corporate rights of Guardon Ukraine LLC and Ukrainian Aluminum Company LLC in the Nikolaev Alumina Refinery LLC were frozen. The refinery's ultimate beneficiary is Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, according to Ukraine's state registry of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs, which states that he is the beneficiary of the refinery's co-owners Guardon Ukraine and Ukrainian Aluminum Company.

The official exchange rate on July 1 was UAH29.25/$1.