Major creditors of Russia's second-biggest airline, Transaero, have begun to file lawsuits against the company as it collapses under a 250 billion ruble ($4 billion) debt pile.
Transaero's largest lenders had held back after a company-saving takeover deal by Russia's flag carrier, Aeroflot, fell through last month.
But on Monday, a bankruptcy suit by Alfa-Bank, one of Russian largest lenders, was registered with the Arbitration Court in St. Petersburg, the Interfax news agency reported. Earlier that day the country's largest bank, Sberbank, also filed a bankruptcy case against the company, according to the news agency.
And Transaero's largest creditor, state-owned VTB bank, also plans a lawsuit against the airline, Interfax cited the bank's chief, Andrei Kostin, as saying.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
