MOSCOW. July 29 (Interfax) - A repetition of the Yukos case in the situation involving Mechel (RTS: MTLR) is unlikely, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said.

"I see this (the repetition of the Yukos case) as the most unlikely scenario. Nothing is impossible, the probability theory suggests, but if I had the opportunity I would exclude it. The most likely scenario is the company's interaction with state agencies. We would like to see no strain coming," Shuvalov said in answer to a question from Interfax in Moscow on Tuesday.

"Everything must work the usual way. If questions have arisen, they must be answered," he said.

Mechel lost more than a third of its capitalization at the end of last week after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sharply criticized the company and its main owner Igor Zyuzin for the company's sales policy. Following explanations provided by presidential aide Arkady Dvorkovich and Federal Anti-Monopoly Service head Igor Artemyev, the panic somewhat subsided among investors, but Putin's fresh statement, this time on tax evasion through offshore schemes - led to another collapse. Mechel shares fell by another 26% on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday.