KIEV, Feb. 23 – Kiev's business court of appeals on Wednesday upheld the decision of the court of a lower instance to collect a fine of UAH 172 billion from Russia's Gazprom for abuse of monopoly.

"The counterclaim of Gazprom is dismissed, and the court ruling is upheld," Judge Karolina Tarasenko said.

In turn, Ukraine's Antimonopoly Committee said that the court ruling must be urgently executed.