We should be wary of dealing with the Russians both over there and the oligarchs here. I doubt that people like Abramovich will do us any good in the long run. Do we really need them living in the UK?

David (Barclays pensioner), Poole,

Goes to show, you don't need good Government and good governance if you've got the oil.

Is Russia aspiring to be the new Nigeria?

Alex, Tunbridge Wells,

Who in their right mind is going to invest in Russia when the Russians seem to act more like conmen out to dupe the unsuspecting foreign companies ?. I hope that many foreign companies pull out until such time as there is a proper and bona fide Government who enforce the laws.

alex, london, uk

Money over principles happens. Get over it.

Dave, Aberystwyth,

Call it what you will, the current Russian government has over 70% approval rating with its citizens
Perhaps you are right and 142 million Russians are wrong !
Hardly.

NMB, California, USA

neither has the UK a functioning system of government, otherwise the authorities would intervene more forcefully to ensure that contracts are enforced. Also bit odd how the welcome mat has been rolled out to the 'Oligarchs'

Carlos Kleiber, London, UK

Rather obvious for some time now. Tricky for the UK Stockmarket too.
Probably better to cut our losses and kick the Russians out of the Footse before UK investors lose their shirts.
Sovereign corruption cannot be regulated.

Brian Anderson, Edinburgh,

So long as big companies are run by small minded fools, they will always be prey to the crooks and greedy; isnt that how they got to be big companies? Will Gordon Brown send a gunboat to get the money back?

M.Burns, Prayssac, France

Another way to look at it is that the Russians have started behaving like the Americans. Malicious prosecution of foreign companies? Rousting by secret police? Foreign policy designed to strengthen the national economic interest? The USA is not the only nation entitled to do these things.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

What is really becoming clear, Mr Wighton, is that Russia is no longer prepared to be patronised by Western "business gurus" who have done nothing but landed it in a mess ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Nick, Moscow , Russia

From what is known, rather than speculation, rumor and gossip, it appears that only a tiny few of the many, many foreign-owned companies in Russia have any troubles dealing with the various levels of government. Possibly the report indicates a natural bias or slant towards UK companies.

John Bannerman, Toronto, Canada

A friend of mine had a similar experience with big business is Canada. He'd all the assurances, good faith, hopes, dreams, plans, cars, homes, research, development, wives, friends, law enforcement, and military with him. Sadly, at the border it all went wrong and he was left 'a beggar the border'.

Mesta, Colorado,

Never ever trust a communist.
I have a golden rule I follow, I never invest anywhere where there are communists. In the later years I have added to this rule also never to invest where there are islamists.

Bjorn, Europe,

Andrewsan, Japanese companies have been profiting off of the United States at the expense of Americans for decades? I assume this is okay for you? US deserves it, right? As far as Russia is concerned, they agreed to this foreign venture with BP and should act accordingly.

Mary, Suwanee, US

Europe needs to do the same thing as the US needs to do, and that is to begin the process of drastically diminishing demand for oil and gas. Then we can get what little we need from Norway , Britain, and Canada. Let the Russians sell their outdated fuel to the Chinese.

Ian, Wahington, DC

BP are blind or naive or both. Anyhow, how would you feel if Rosneft was profiting from British Oil? It seems to me that The Russian system of Governement is working very well - for Russia!

Andrewsan, Yokohama, Japan

The consulation in these situations is that when so much is gained so easily, they never know when to stop and uncontrolled greed turns in on itself.

Wait about four or five years and mysterious assinations begin without end, it is their way of life so let them get on with it.

KGB v KSV.

Ken.H, Harrow, UK

BP turned their eyes away when the Russians were using the legal system to rob their rivals. They were too stupid to realise that the croccodile is never satisfied, it merely waits until it is ready for the next victim. BP forgot the oldest rule in business - caveat emptor

Christopher Holland, Canberra, Australia

Nationalisation is "Back", youcannot Re-invent the wheel! Look at "South America" we live in a fast changing world, sadly UK Ltd is a "Tortoise"! owned by everyone who isn't "British"!

Paul, Newtown, Powys, UK

Russia under Putin, and his puppet President , is indeed has parts as rotten as they were under former dictators of USSR. Except, at that time they did not have the windfall huge income from high oil prices, and there was a minimally functioning group-rule; the politburo, not a one-man dictatorship.

John, Atlanta, GA, USA.