UPDATE 1-Sibir gets 17 mln stg from Chigirinsky house sale

* Money from sale of London house by Chigirinsky

* Chigirinsky being sued by company for at least $25 mln (Adds details)

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Russian oil and gas explorer Sibir Energy (SBE.L) said it has received about 17 million pounds ($27.37 million) from the sale of a London house which will help to pay the debt of a former major shareholder.

The money, received from the sale of Hugh House in central London, will go towards paying off the debts of Russian businessman Shalva Chigirinsky, a former main shareholder of the company, it said on Monday.

Sibir is suing Chigirinsky for at least $325 million for a failed bid to sell his real estate assets to the company. [ID:nL7380603]

(Reporting by Ben Deighton; Editing by Julie Crust)