RIA Novosti reported that the Moscow Arbitration Court upheld recently on claim lodged by a subsidiary of state-owned Rosneft for RUB 5.036 billion against Russneft over the illegal purchase of a Yukos asset.

Samaraneftegaz, a Volga-based subsidiary of the state oil giant, told the court it was owed RUB 18 billion by the defunct oil company Yukos, of which it received RUB 12 billion during the company's liquidation.

The company accused Russneft of illegally buying a 50% stake in the Zapadno-Malobalykskoye production unit, based in the Khanty-Mansi autonomous district from Yukos.

Samaraneftegaz asked the court to recover from Russneft either the cash sum or the asset.

The Moscow Arbitration Court had seized the interest in the production unit last November.

(Sourced from RIA Novosti)