On Monday, it became known that the French authorities seized the assets of companies cooperating with Russia in the field of space exploration. It amounts to about $ 700 million, which were intended to pay for services of the FSUE "Russian Satellite Communications" (Eutelsat to provide resources of its satellites) and state corporation "Roscosmos" (supplied by Arianespace rocket company). The arrest is connected with the decision of the Hague arbitration ordered Russia to pay the former shareholders of the Yukos oil company in excess of $ 50 billion. In Moscow, which does not recognize this decision, counting on a positive outcome of the proceedings.

The fact that the assets of the arrested French agents include aerospace companies, intended for settlements with Russian counterparts, said the American legal magazine The American Lawyer. Referring to its own information, the publication cited two examples: in the first case, it was about $ 400 million, which the satellite operator Eutelsat had to pay the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Russian Satellite Communications" for the use of satellite resources of the enterprise, in the second - about $ 300 million, which the company Arianespace has to give " Roskosmos "for the supply of "Soyuz" type of carrier rockets. These arrests are connected with the Yukos affair:. In 2014. The arbitration court in The Hague ordered Russia to pay the former owners $ 50 billion oil company in June 2015 in France and Belgium began assets arrests that the leadership of these countries considered it affiliated with Russia. In Moscow we do not agree, considering that the decision of the Hague arbitration is not enforceable because the plaintiffs had violated existing filing a claim procedure. However, on Monday, Russia's trade representative in France Alexander Turov in an interview with "Kommersant" correspondent described the situation as "serious".

According to a source, "Kommersant", close to the state corporation, the actions of the French authorities beat to a greater extent "French companies". "With the company Arianespace have signed contracts for the supply of rockets" Soyuz-ST ", without which it plans to implement their launchers from Kourou in French Guiana, it is simply impossible - says the source" b ".- If everything goes really bad, then we will find, where to place the missiles. Perhaps we can use them to start-ups in their programsMom. " According to him, it is itself a direct threat of withdrawal of funds in favor of the former shareholders of Yukos is not, and arrests are increasingly "interim measure". Recall that in 2011, Arianespace has launched 13 "Unions" and the next start will take place on 22 April. General Director of the State Corporation Igor Komarov, the TV channel "Russia 24" on Monday reported that "all things are now in the legal plane, in the review process in the French courts." "I believe that every reason to hope for a positive outcome of the consideration we have," - he added.

"Satellite Communications" cooperates with Eutelsat since 1994, providing French satellite monitoring and control services of space communication center in Dubna. In 2012, Eutelsat signed a contract for a 15-year lease of satellites in "Space Communications" (the amount of the transaction was estimated at € 300 million). On Monday, the company's CEO, Yuri Prokhorov told "Kommersant" that he could not confirm the information about the arrest of the assets. "Documents to date, which could be discussed, I do not. No court decisions or anyclaim letters-or from a reputable company Eutelsat. To date all contractual obligations are met, "-" b "Prokhorov said, refusing to specify the volume of contracts with the French operator. He noted that in the near future to be held "formal proceedings", and released information about the arrest of the assets is "an injection of" in order to influence the situation. "By and large, our loss is not as great as in other industries. Here, we hope that the Ministry of Justice will assist us, "- he stressed.

In Eutelstat refused to comment on the "Y" judgment and its implications for cooperation with Russia also arrived in Arianespace. Representatives of the law firm De Gaulle Fleurance & Associes, representing Russia's interests in the court, promptly comment on the situation "b" could not. Perhaps this issue will be raised during the Russian-French seminar on cooperation in the field of space, which will be held a few days ago in Moscow.