ST. PETERSBURG, August 17 - RAPSI. The St. Petersburg Commercial Court has dismissed a business reputation defamation suit brought by Kirovsky Zavod General Director Georgy Semenenko.

Semenenko filed the suit based upon an internet posting that alleged Semenenko had obtained a 35% stake in the company. The article was posted anonymously by Kirovsky Zavod shareholders.

The court refused to hear the suit because it is currently hearing a suit brought by Kirovsky Zavod minority shareholders against Semenenko for 21.8 billion rubles ($756 million) in damages. The court stated that the allegedly defamatory internet article also relates to the minority shareholders suit.
Kirovsky Zavod was created in 1992, it produces tractors and other farming mechanisms, spare parts, rolled metal, and power engineering products.