fridman

BP underestimated the power of Mikhail Fridman, one of its oligarch partners.

Judging by Mr Dudley's previous troubles in Russia, Mr Fridman and the Kremlin have plenty of means at their disposal to put pressure on BP.

As long as he respects Rosneft's interests, anything else Mr Fridman does to get payback from BP will be fine by the Kremlin.

Tom Fridman travelled all over the world, he knows how the world looks like - it is flat.

But one of BP's Russian partners, Mikhail Fridman, had a different view.

But equally Mr Sechin is unlikely to stand in Mr Fridman's way when he demands that BP compensate AAR handsomely.

But first the British firm faces a fight with Mr Fridman.

Mr Fridman is fuming that Mr Dudley went behind his back by striking a deal with Rosneft.

Mikhail Fridman, founder of Alfa banking group, was another to suffer big losses.

"BP has a very simplistic view of the power structure in Russia, " says Mr Fridman.

As one of Russian business's great survivors, Mr Fridman knows he must not scupper the BP-Rosneft deal;