Russia ordered to pay $50B over oil company

An international court on Monday ordered Russia to pay over $50 billion in compensation to the former majority shareholder of now-defunct oil producer Yukos over the expropriation of the company more than 10 years ago.

In 2003, the Russian government led by President Vladimir Putin leveled massive tax claims against Yukos. Russia imprisoned owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky and seized the company's assets when they couldn't pay.

The move was widely seen as retaliation for Khodorkovsky's support of opposing political parties, according to USA Today.

Read more from USA Today.

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