Sistema appeals ruling on Bashkortostan's involvement in Rosneft claim of 170.6 bln rubles
UFA. June 27 (Interfax) - Sistema JSFC has challenged a ruling by the Arbitration Court of Bashkortostan on Bashkortostan's participation as a co-claimant in the lawsuit that oil companies Rosneft and Bashneft filed against the Russian conglomerate claiming 170.6 billion rubles in damages.
The appeal was filed on June 21, arbitration court case files show.
At a preliminary hearing on June 6, the court granted the motion of Bashkortostan, as represented by the republic's Land and Property Relations Ministry, to join the Rosneft lawsuit against Sistema as a co-claimant, without stating independent claims.
Rosneft and Bashneft filed a lawsuit against Sistema in May, first in Moscow and then in Bashkir arbitration court. Bashkortostan, which owns 25% of Bashneft, subsequently joined the lawsuit. The size of the claim was determined by adding up a number of losses that the plaintiffs believe Bashneft incurred as a result of Sistema's actions when it restructured the oil company in 2014.
Rosneft and Bashneft initially filed a claim of 106.6 billion rubles against Sistema, but then raised it to 170.6 billion rubles, citing the ruble's depreciation against the U.S. dollar since the alleged damages were incurred.
The Arbitration Court of Bashkortostan will begin the main hearing of the Rosneft lawsuit against Sistema on Tuesday, June 27.
