MOSCOW, February 21 - RAPSI. The Moscow Commercial Court started to reconsider a lawsuit on invalidating four loan contracts worth $377.03 million between Luxemburg's Yukos Capital S.a.r.l and Yuganskneftegaz.

The lawsuit was filed by Vesta investment company, Rosneft shareholder. According to Vesta, the loans in dispute were issued to Yuganskneftegaz in violation of the law. The contracts were signed in July-August 2004 and set to mature in 2007. The hearings in the case will be held on March 5.

The lawsuit was submitted against Yukos Capital S.a.r.l. and Rosneft, to which Yuganskneftegaz, a former YUKOS subsidiary, was later adjoined.

The lawsuit was submitted in 2007, but its consideration was suspended until end of the criminal case against former YUKOS head Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner Platon Lebedev.

In late 2010, a Moscow district court sentenced both to 14 years in prison for oil theft and money laundering. They were expected to be released in 2017, taking into account the time they had already served for their convictions from their first trial in 2005. However, on May 24, the Moscow City Court reduced their sentences by one year. They now may be released in 2016.

On Tuesday Rosneft representative submitted to the commercial court copies of the legal acts under the criminal case. The judge resumed the proceedings and set the hearings for March.