Head of Russian venture in hiding after 'intimidation'

Bob Dudley, head man of TNK-BP, BP's 50/50 joint venture with four Russian oligarchs, quit Moscow earlier this week after a string of allegations of corporate impropriety and the refusal of the authorities to renew his visa.

"Bob Dudley was at the end of his tether after the perpetual harassment of the last few weeks and months," his boss Tony Hayward, the chief executive of BP said today. "He has suffered personal intimidation - that is the only way to describe it.

"He is currently having a break in a secret location in central Europe."

Hayward would not be drawn on whether he knew where Dudley was hiding, but added mysteriously: "His whereabouts will become known in the next few days."

Dudley has been at the centre of an orchestrated campaign by the four oligarchs to destabilise the five-year-old TNK-BP venture and take control of a business which accounts for 25% of BP's annual production.

Hayward is pledging not to give into the oligarchs without a fight.

"We will vigorously defend our rights using all legal means at our disposal," he said. "We will not be intimidated by strongarm tactics."

Asked how long TNK-BP could be run from exile, Hayward admitted it would be difficult to pull it off for more than a few months.

Asked whether other Western companies should invest in Russia, Hayward replied: "It is a challenging place to do business."