MOSCOW, April 25 - RAPSI. The Moscow Commercial Court will hear on June 15 the St. Petersburg-based Severnaya Verf shipyard's defamation lawsuit against the Kommersant publishing house, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com).

Severnaya Verf is part of the United Industrial Corporation (UIC).

The shipbuilder said earlier that it initiated the legal proceedings after the paper reported on March 30 that "Severnaya Verf's board approved candidates to the new board" the day before.

The chairman of the board stated that the information was false as a board meeting was not held on that date and no decisions were therefore made.

Meanwhile, the shipbuilder has already informed its shareholders and the Central Bank, which is the major pledge holder of its shares, that no such meeting was held, the shipyard reported.

UIC earlier reported that the shipyard's new board composing seven members, including six UIC representatives, was chosen during an extraordinary shareholders meeting on April 4.

Severnaya Verf is a leading shipyard in Russia, producing military ships and commercial vessels.