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Ukrainian court says it cannot find Russian company's appeal

In 2004, Sibir sued the Ukrainian Justice Ministry and the State Treasury, demanding a compensation for the downed plane

KIEV, October 2 (Itar-Tass) — Lawyers of the Russian airline "Sibir" demanded that Ukraine's high economic court carry out a probe into the loss of their appeal, an insider at the Pavlenko and Poberezhnyuk Group told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. The group represents the airline's interests in litigation with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

"We demand a probe with the view of ascertaining the whereabouts of the materials of case N 30/261 and explaining the reasons behind the extended delay in the Sibir airline's appeal reaching the high economic court," the lawyers said. The appeal was lodged against the resolution by the Kiev economic appeals court and the ruling by the Kiev economic court on the airline's action vs the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the State Treasury demanding 15.5 million dollars in compensation because of the loss the company suffered as its passenger TU-154 crashed in 2001," lawyer Maxim Sobkov said.

He said the case materials have not been seen at the high economic court for more than three months for the reasons of which the airline is unaware. It is a violation of its right for appeal and fair case review.

The company appealed at the high economic court back in June 2012. The courts of lower jurisdiction refused to grant Sibir's damages suit.

According to the Interstate Aviation Committee, the Tu-154 was downed by a Ukrainian S-200 missile launched during an air defense exercise in the Crimea on October 4, 2001. Seventy-eight persons, including 66 passengers were killed. /A majority of them were Israeli citizens/.

In 2003-2005, the Ukrainian government paid 15.6 million dollars in compensation to the victims' relatives. In 2004, Sibir sued the Ukrainian Justice Ministry and the State Treasury, demanding a compensation for the downed plane. The litigation has dragged on for eight years already.