Unified Energy Systems head Anatolii Chubais announced on 5 June that he has decided to sell his shares in TVS because his views on the channel's future differ from those of other shareholders, Interfax reported.

Chubais said he plans to sell the shares to TVS Chairman Oleg Kiselev and Neft head Igor Linshits, "Vremya novostei" reported the next day.

The daily concluded that Chubais' departure signifies the victory of Russian Aluminum head Oleg Deripaska and financier Aleksandr Mamut. Last April, a group of TVS shareholders led by Deripaska offered Chubais $10 million for a 45 percent package of shares. Chubais was supposed to reach a decision by 23 May but the deadline slipped by without an announcement from him.

On 4 June, Media Minister Mikhail Lesin met with Chubais and Deripaska and reportedly told them that a decision had to be made, warning that the ministry would not tolerate a "blank screen" on the frequency, "Vremya novostei" reported on 5 June.

(RFE/RL 07.vi.03)