KIEV, Aug. 10 ??“ The battle for control over Karpatnaftokhim Ltd, Ukraine??™s largest petrochemical company, intensified after a local economic court in Ivano-Frankivsk ruled against Lukoil, the Russian company that owns majority of shares.

The lawsuit was filed by Oriana, Lukoil??™s state-owned Ukrainian partner, whose shareholding in the petrochemical giant had declined significantly after a controversial transaction.