On 1 September 2003, BP and a group of Russian businessmen represented by the AAR Consortium (Alfa-Access-Renova) announced the creation of TNK-BP, a strategic partnership to jointly hold their oil assets in Russia and Ukraine. AAR contributed its holdings in TNK International, ONAKO, Sidanko, Rusia Petroleum (which held licenses for the Kovykta field and the Verkhnechonsk field), and the Rospan field in West Siberia (the New Urengoy and East Urengoy deposits). BP contributed its holdings in Sidanko, Rusia Petroleum, and its BP Moscow retail network. In January 2004, BP and AAR further agreed to incorporate AAR's 50% stake in Slavneft into TNK-BP. Slavneft, which has operations in Russia and Belarus, was previously owned jointly by AAR and Sibneft (now Gazprom Neft).