A Russian court has approved the 15.5 billion rubles ($207 million) fine imposed on the ExxonMobil-led Exxon Neftegaz venture as the government continues preparations to sell the US supermajor’s 30% stake in the vehicle which operated the Sakhalin 1 oil and gas project in the country’s far east.

However, it remains unclear how the venture would be able to pay the fine, as it does not have any source of revenue since the government took control of its assets last October.