Firtash's companies have not applied to competition agency to get permit to buy Inter Media Group

"There is an agreement [on the acquisition of Inter Media Group], but it has not been registered in a legal form. Buyers are to apply to the committee for a permit. As far as I know they're going to do this," he said.

Kuzmin added that if the asset were bought without a preliminary permit from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, a fine would be imposed on the Firtash's companies.

Later on that day Firtash's spokeswoman Yaryna Kluchkovska announced that the company has already applied to the antimonopoly authorities and was waiting for their permit to finish the deal.

As reported, referring to the press service of the Inter TV Channel, K.H. Media Limited owned by former first deputy prime minister of Ukraine Valeriy Khoroshkovsky has sold a 100% stake in Inter Media Group Limited for $2.5 billion to Gdf Media Limited company, which is owned by Ukrainian billionaire Firtash.

Gdf Media Limited will gain control over the media group after it receives approval from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine.

Inter Media Group includes the TV channels of Inter, Inter+, NTN, K1, K2, Enter, Enter-Film, Mega, MTV Ukraine, and other production and marketing companies.

Inter TV Channel is the most popular channel (with a share of 14-16% over the recent months.) Its net income in 2011 increased by 30.9%, to UAH 744.77 million, almost returning to the level of the pre-crisis year of 2008. Its net loss last year fell by 29.5%, to UAH 137.63 million.

In the first half of 2012, the TV channel saw a net income of UAH 446.840 million and a net loss of UAH 95.34 million.