MOSCOW, Dec. 14 - Mintimer Shaimiyev, president of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, has sent a letter to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko with a request that he personally intervene in the conflict among shareholders of UkrTatNafta (Kremenchuk refinery, Ukraine).

The letter, the text of which was made available to Interfax, reads that the leadership of Tatarstan is concerned over the events that took place at the oil refinery in October 2007.