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The YUKOS Affair is Russia's "trial of the century." No other story since the end of the Soviet Union depicts a more compelling account of Russia's current business, legal, human rights, and political landscape.

The arrests, trial, and conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev allowed a small group of Russian officials to consolidate their power by eliminating Khodorkovsky, whose progressive business practices, vision for an open and democratic society, internationalist worldview and wealth made him an effective and powerful supporter of civil society.

In June of 2003, the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation launched a series of politically motivated criminal investigations aimed at YUKOS executives. Platon Lebedev, Khodorkovsky's business partner, was the first to be arrested in July. One month later, authorities had arrested a total of eight former or current employees of MENATEP, YUKOS, and other related companies.

This campaign of "intimidation through arrest" reached its peak on October 25, 2003, with the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Ultimately, more than 50 criminal cases would be opened against YUKOS executives, managers, and employees.

• See an interactive timeline of the YUKOS Affair

The YUKOS Affair

The "YUKOS Affair", as it was labeled by the media, refers not only to the arrest and conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, his business partners, and other YUKOS employees, but also to the dismantling and expropriation of the company's key assets.

The Criminal Allegations

Read about the original allegations of criminal activity made by the Russian authorities against Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.

Other Key Individuals

The campaign against YUKOS was not confined to Khodorkovsky and Lebedev. Russian courts brought charges against dozens of employees, managers, and owners. Svetlana Bakhmina, Vasily Aleksanyan are among many former YUKOS employees persecuted as part of the YUKOS Affair.