MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. All assets of Roszarubezhneft in Venezuela are owned by the Russian state, having been acquired under market conditions, according to a company statement obtained by TASS. Roszarubezhneft holds stakes in joint oil and gas enterprises with the Venezuelan side.

At the same time, the company stated that since 2020, when global oil market conditions deteriorated, it has directed all resources to sustaining current production, without receiving dividends.

"All assets of Roszarubezhneft JSC in Venezuela are the property of the Russian state, having been acquired by the Russian side under market conditions, in full compliance with the legislation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, international law, and interstate agreements between Russia and Venezuela. The acquisition of assets was carried out at full market value after relevant approvals from Venezuelan regulators were received," the statement reads.

There are five oil-producing joint ventures of Roszarubezhneft (100% owned by the Russian Federation) and PDVSA operating in Venezuela.

On January 3, US President Donald Trump announced a military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by American forces. On January 5, the couple appeared before the US Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, where they face charges of alleged involvement in drug trafficking. Both have pleaded not guilty. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president on January 6. Meanwhile, Trump has said that Washington would "run" Venezuela in the interim.