Russia — Dispute Resolution And Asset Recovery Challenges

Sanctions and counter-sanctions have transformed routine cross-border litigation into a challenging, strategic minefield. What can defendants do to protect their cost exposure when they find themselves being sued by Russian claimants?

The Procedural Headwinds

Practitioners facing Russian counterparties increasingly encounter systemic obstacles. Beyond the complexity of the sanctions framework (see this helpful overview by Kirstin Wilhelm), counter-sanctions have become a part of court practice:

• Access to Russian courts curtailed: Russian arbitrazh (commercial) courts routinely deny access to parties from "unfriendly" states, often labelling their filings an "abuse of rights."