Court suspends consideration of appeal in UESU debt case

The Kyiv Economic Court of Appeals has suspended the consideration of the appeal against a ruling by Kyiv Economic Court obliging the Ukrainian government to pay over UAH 3.1 billion (about $390 million) of the debt of the UESU Corporation to the Russian Defense Ministry pending the investigation of a criminal case into the issue by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Presiding Judge Viktor Shapran announced this decision at the meeting on Monday. The court made this decision in response to a relevant request by the Cabinet of Ministers submitted on October 19.

According to the government's representative, Andriy Bohdan, the SBU investigation department is holding an inquiry into a criminal case into the same events. In his words, they need the information from the SBU about the status of the investigation for a comprehensive consideration of the case and Kyiv Economic Court of Appeals has to suspend the proceedings until all the circumstances are clarified.

The judge emphasized that the decision can be appealed to the Supreme Economic Court.

Commenting on the decision, Bohdan said that a copy of the case will be included in the criminal case, investigated by the SBU. "The appeal consideration is suspended until the criminal case clarifies the circumstances," he added.

Representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry declined to comment on the decision.