Putin Says Russian State Won

Russian authorities have no plans for state monopolization of the oil and natural gas sector and the state does not intend to nationalize any of its major oil companies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his annual news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

Answering a question from a reporter, who failed to name himself and his publication, Putin pointed out that the oil and gas sectors were under government control in many countries of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as well as some leading non-OPEC countries such as Norway.