Released in 2013, he now spends a lot of time in London.
Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia`s Investigative Committee, said in a statement police had concluded that Khodorkovsky had ordered subordinates to kill Vladimir Petukhov, the mayor of Nefteyugansk, in 1998.
Markin said the motive was financial and linked to Petukhov`s demands for Yukos to pay taxes he said it was avoiding.
Russia announced the warrant a day after armed police raided the Moscow offices of a pro-democracy movement founded by Khodorkovsky.
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