TNK-BP's Fridman says BP chmn insults Russia govt

MOSCOW, June 12 (Reuters) - Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, one of BP's (BP.L) partners in Russian oil venture TNK-BP (TNBPI.RTS), said the British oil major's chairman had insulted the Russian leadership on Thursday.

"We find Mr (Peter) Sutherland's comment unhelpful and frankly, insulting to the Russian leadership," Fridman said in a statement emailed to reporters, adding he should not lecture the Russian government.

Sutherland earlier said that BP's Russian partners were behaving like corporate raiders from the late 1990s in a conflict over TNK-BP's management and strategy and the Russian leadership was unable to stop them.