UPDATE: Kremlin says no pressure on Prokhorov’s Onexim to sell assets

(adds Kremlin comment in paragraphs 1, 2)

MOSCOW, Jul 4 (PRIME) -- The Russian government has not put any pressure on businessman Mikhail Prokhorov’s Onexim Group to sell its assets, the president’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday.

“No, this is a complete stupidity, I’ve already said it, and this is in the newspaper as well. This is an absolute stupidity. That’s out of the question,” he said.

Business daily Vedomosti reported citing sources that Onexim has decided to sell all its assets after searches held by tax authorities in April that were connected with a criminal case against the former shareholders of Bank Tavrichesky.

Onexim Group holds stakes in aluminum giant UC RUSAL, fertilizer producer Uralkali, insurance company Soglasie, banks Renaissance Capital, Renaissance Credit and the International Financial Club Bank (IFC Bank), power producer Quadra, developer OPIN, and media holding RBC.

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