MOSCOW, April 1 - RAPSI, Sergei Feklyunin. The Moscow Commercial Court has ordered the Russian Orthodox Church NGO Pchyolki to provide additional documents for its claim against the US governments purchase of Alaska and has postponed the case until April 29, the court told RAPSI.

The Pchyolki (Bees) interregional public movement in support of Orthodox educational and social initiatives is demanding that the US government invalidate the treaty under which Russia sold Alaska to the United States in the 19th century.

According to the court, the plaintiff has not provided the court with proof that it paid the state duty and has sent the case documents to the defendant. Furthermore, Pchyolki has not submitted arguments substantiating its case, nor the address of the plaintiff and the defendant.

Alaska belonged to Russia until 1867. The decision to sell it to America was made at a special meeting attended by Emperor Alexander II, Grand Prince Konstantin, the ministers of finance and navy and the Russian ambassador to Washington.

The participants unanimously approved the sale of Alaska for $7.2 million in gold. The ceremony of Alaska's transfer to the United States was held on board USS Ossipee, off Novoarkhangelsk (New Archangel, later renamed Sitka).

Pchyolki was established in December 2008 at the initiative of several Orthodox orphanages to support the social and educational efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church, including assisting orphans and children left without parental care.