The Moscow Arbitration Court has denied a Ukrainian petition to dismiss Tatneft's $144 million lawsuit against the country, an Interfax correspondent reported from the courtroom.

"The petition is denied," the judge said.

Tatneft requested that the court enforce an international arbitration ruling from July 29, 2014 ordering Ukraine to pay the Russian oil company $144 million in compensation for the violation of the Russia-Ukraine Bilateral Investment Treaty due events involving Ukrtatnafta.