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Russia will take steps to protect its assets abroad - head of Kremlin administration

We can and should act by using counter measures, Sergey Ivanov said

VLADIVOSTOK, June 20. /TASS/. Russia will timely take steps in response to the attempts to claim its assets abroad, head of the Kremlin administration Sergey Ivanov said in a TV interview on Saturday.

"That there will be counter measures I don’t doubt at all, - he said. - We can and should act by using counter measures ".

"Obviously, counter steps will be taken inevitably and quite quickly," - Ivanov said.

In July 2014, The Hague Arbitral Tribunal ruled that Russia should pay almost $50 billion to the companies affiliated with the former Yukos shareholders - Hulley Enterprises Limited (Cyprus), Veteran Petroleum (Cyprus) and Yukos Universal Limited (Isle of Man).

Moscow repeatedly expressed disagreement with the court’s ruling.

Earlier this month it was reported that Belgian bailiffs were trying to use Russian property to satisfy the claims of Yukos Universal Limited as part of the court’s decision.

In particular, the bailiffs obliged a number of Russian companies operating in Belgium and their banks to provide lists of the assets they manage in the country within 15 days. According to the Belgian authorities that was necessary for the implementation of the court’s decision.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also reported that the accounts of the Russian embassy have been frozen as well as the accounts of Russia’s permanent missions in the EU and NATO in Brussels. Actions to freeze Russian assets were also taken in France.