FACTBOX-Russian oligarchs' debt and asset battles

May 26 (Reuters) - Russian tycoons, who borrowed heavily from Western lenders in the boom years, are now looking to restructure their debt -- a prime opportunity for the cash-rich Russian state to increase its control over the economy.

Following is a rundown of Russian oligarchs who have been in the spotlight in recent days.

OLEG DERIPASKA

Russia's aluminium, construction and car industry tycoon, ranked the country's richest man in 2008, lost over $25 billion over the past year to be left with only $3.5 billion, according to U.S. magazine Forbes, as his empire struggles with debt.

Deripaska, 41, is now trying to restructure $7.3 billion in debts to foreign lenders, such as Sumitomo, ING and BNP Paribas, as well as a $4.5 billion debt to Russian state bank VEB.

See [ID:nLE093041] and [ID:nN25452637]

The outcome of the talks is being closely watched by bankers around the world for clues as to how far creditors -- many of whom have banded together to form clubs -- and borrowers are prepared to go to reach a compromise.

For a TAKE-A-LOOK on restructuring talks see [ID:nDEBTRU]

There are still signs Deripaska enjoys state support, however, after Putin welcomed a tie-up between carmaker GAZ (GAZA.RTS) and Canada's Magna (MGa.TO), if the latter wins its bid for Germany's Opel. [ID:nLL21777]

State-run Sberbank (SBER03.MM), the country's biggest lender, could be the key as it is considering taking a share in Opel and partly funding the deal. For a Q+A on the Russian bid for Opel, see [ID:nLI581056]

SHALVA CHIGIRINSKY

Oil-to-real estate tycoon Shalva Chigirinsky, 59, lost $1.9 billion of his $2.5 billion fortune over the past year following the collapse of Russia's overheated real estate market.

He was forced to use his stake in mid-sized, London-listed oil firm Sibir Energy (SBE.L) as collateral with Sberbank, which helped him meet credit payments but which reportedly insisted on a change of ownership at Sibir.

This request from a powerful state lender came close to resolution after the world's largest gas producer, state-run Gazprom (GAZP.MM), began a takeover of Sibir [ID:nLQ638829]