MOSCOW, October 18 - RAPSI. The Moscow Commercial Court has dismissed a $4.7 million lawsuit filed by the Defense Ministry against the Khrunichev space center, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) learnt in the court.

The ministry sought to recover 144.7 million rubles ($4.7 million) in penalties from the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center for a January 31, 2006 procurement contract. The claimant said the space center failed to deliver the equipment in time.

The court discovered that the center was obliged to supply the equipment by December 2009.

The court decided that March 18, 2010 when the customer issued a certificate for the equipment must be considered the delivery date. Meanwhile, the vendor delivered the equipment for shipment on January 18, 2010.

The court also found that the ministry was responsible for providing cars to ship the equipment.

Meanwhile, the court decided the ministry was responsible for the delay as it only brought the cars on March 18.