Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 634: Taking Advantage of Fire_1

Chapter 634: Chapter 634: Taking Advantage of Fire_1

At the top floor of the Yukos Group’s building, inside Khodorkovsky’s office.

In the somewhat spacious room, only Wang Ye and Khodorkovsky sat facing each other.

Khodorkovsky holding a cup of coffee, Wang Ye a cigarette in his hand.

After listening to Wang Ye’s explanation, Khodorkovsky fell into deep thought.

He also sensed that this matter was not as simple as it seemed, at least not as it appeared on the surface.

After a while, Khodorkovsky took his mobile phone, gestured to Wang Ye, and then got up and walked to the adjoining room.

Wang Ye understood that Khodorkovsky was probably going to verify this matter with his contacts.

It’s not that he doesn’t trust him, but the matter is so critical that Khodorkovsky has to be cautious.

Moreover, with his connections, he might be able to find out things he doesn’t yet know about.

After about ten minutes, Khodorkovsky returned with a gloomy look on his face. He sat down on the sofa, picked up his cup of coffee, brought it to his lips, but didn’t drink it. Instead, he just sat there staring into space, thinking about something.

It seems the situation he confirmed is not optimistic.

Wang Ye broke the silence by asking, "If the export rights are truly restricted, would it cause significant damage to the group? To the point of being unbearable?"

Khodorkovsky gave a bitter smile and helplessly said, "If we lose export rights, the group’s revenue will drop by at least half. As for net profit, it would depend on the mercy of others. But as you can imagine, if someone wants to make trouble, they certainly won’t leave us much profit. Consider this, how much can we consume domestically with our crude oil and such low oil prices? It’s almost like philanthropy, we’re not making any money. To make money, don’t we still have to depend on exports?"

Indeed, here in Russia, oil is cheap as if it’s being given away!

When buying a car, no one cares about fuel consumption...

So, for a huge crude oil company like Yukos Group, if it only depends on the domestic market, it could only catch the wind.

Fantasies of achieving billions in net profit like last year are out the window!

Wang Ye took a deep drag on his cigarette, extinguishing the remaining half in the ashtray. Annoyed, he said, "Then let them submit it to Duma, I’ll sort it out!"

Though he said this, Wang Ye wasn’t too confident he could block this matter in Duma.

Although he is the chairman of the Economic Committee, Duma isn’t under his sole command.

Let’s not forget, he’s just the vice speaker, a mere party leader of the third faction.

Even Grezlov, who as the speaker and the party leader of the first faction, would not dare to claim the sky as his own in Duma.

After all, within Duma, there were far too many minor hilltops, far too many entangled interests.

If this time, the matter was indeed driven by the Kremlin behind the scenes, then some major small hills within the first faction would have reached some consensus.

This is beyond anyone Grezlov could control.

As for Wang Ye, that was just an empty boast.

......

Naturally, Khodorkovsky is well aware of this. He shook his head and tried to convince, "Misha, don’t be emotional. The situation is not as bad as it seems. I think your assistant was right, the other side might be trying to avoid the issue, so they want to push this matter to Duma to resolve. In this way, they can hold the upper hand both in law and morality, without having to bear the pressure of international public opinion. For this very reason, we still have a chance."

Wang Ye muttered, "That... do we really have to disperse the shares? Would this fall into their trap? Perhaps their real intention is not to take away our export rights, but to get control of the Yukos Group’s shares?"

This was a problem Wang Ye had just thought of!

Perhaps, things are more complicated than imagined.

What he had thought of, could others not have thought of it?

In the top tier, there are no fools, each one is shrewder than the other!

Khodorkovsky let out a slight smile, and said confidently, "Of course, we won’t let them have their way. My plan is like this..."

With that, he lowered his voice and discussed his proposed course of action with Wang Ye.

After listening, a look of disbelief crossed Wang Ye’s face. He kept shaking his head and said, "No way! If we do it like this, won’t it look like I’m cashing in on the situation? How would people perceive me? Besides, I don’t have any designs on Yukos Group, Uncle please don’t get me wrong."

Turns out, Khodorkovsky’s solution was for the Yukos Group to undergo restructuring, change the existing equity structure, and introduce a new shareholder!

After restructuring, Wang Ye would change his position and become the largest shareholder of the Yukos Group, with 35% of the group’s shares!

Khodorkovsky would only retain 25% of the shares, making him the second-largest shareholder.

The Russian Gas Industry Group would still retain its 20% stake, remaining the third-largest shareholder.

The remaining 20% stake would take in two to three new shareholders, and they would have to be Euro-American Capital, ideally large groups with substantial international influence.

Then, whoever wanted to deal with Yukos Group in the future would first need to face Wang Ye, the vice speaker of Duma, and then the pressure from international public opinion.

These financial groups from Europe and the United States wouldn’t tolerate your bad habits.

If you dare damage their interests, they could sway their country’s parliament and government to give you trouble, even sue you in the International Court!

......

Even though Wang Ye as the vice speaker doesn’t seem so intimidating,

However, in this matter, he is not to be underestimated.

Keep in mind, he is currently the shining "new star" in the political arena, and a young man highly seen by the Kremlin.

The problem is,

once Wang Ye becomes the major shareholder of Yukos Group, would the Kremlin or the first faction dare to deal with the Yukos Group again?

That would mean becoming sworn enemies with Wang Ye!

So it all comes down to the regard in which Wang Ye is held by those in the Kremlin, how important he really is!

If from Putin’s point of view, Wang Ye is more important than the entire Yukos Group, he would no longer go after the Yukos Group in the future.

But if in Putin’s eyes, Wang Ye doesn’t carry much weight or isn’t overly important, then he still has to consider the newly introduced shareholders in Yukos Group.

The old financial clans of Europe and America!

It must be kept in mind that in recent years, the overall mindset here has been "pro-West"!

The reason for not dealing with the Yukos Group outright is certainly because of these considerations.

......

In response to Wang Ye’s refusal, Khodorkovsky calmly said:

"Misha, as you know, the Yukos Group will end up in your hands sooner or later.

Even if this incident did not occur, it would still be the same. Now it’s just happening a bit earlier.

Besides, those shares are not given to you for free, you have to compensate me in other ways.

Your Crimean Investment company is doing well, so how about swapping shares of that company."