I may have missed some news: what about the auction for NKP 587?

They just posted on FaceBook that it's not now for sale, negotiations instead.

Reading between the lines, it was the same tactic banks use when mortgage payments are late, or homeowner-association assessments are unpaid, and threaten to sell the property on the courthouse steps.

The owner will usually manage to cough up the arrears, or at least arrange in good faity to relieve them. As here, apparently.

I suspect it's either as you suggest, an effort to let them know they're serious about payment, or it's a way to legally obtain ownership of what is essentially abandoned property. I guess we'll see which way it goes.