Putin vows action over Yukos ruling

RUSSIA has protested over the seizure of Russian state assets in Belgium - a move triggered by a court ruling over the now-defunct Yukos oil firm.

RUSSIA will take legal action to protect its assets against a court ruling ordering compensation for shareholders in the defunct oil and gas firm Yukos, President Vladimir Putin says.

MOSCOW has protested to Belgium over its seizure of state assets in response to the ruling, which it described as "an openly hostile act" that "crudely violates the recognised norms of international law".