An online discussion NARADCHA WEB. Compensation Front: The People of Ukraine vs putin's Russia took place.

Will Russia compensate war damages?

On May 27 an online discussion NARADCHA WEB. Compensation Front: The People of Ukraine vs putin's Russia took place. Judges, attorneys and officials talked about recovery of war damages caused by russia.

EQUITY partner Oleg Malinevsky moderated the discussion while partner Vyacheslav Krahlevych joined it as a speaker.

Main points of the discussion:

• Ukraine had already suffered losses of USD 600bn due to the war. On this matter the issue of developing quality legal mechanisms for the recovery of losses is our high-priority issue. Wide responsible individuals list gives us more chances to compensate damages in full.

• Both russian businessmen and tycoons (oligarchs) should be held accountable. Lukoil, RussianRailways, Alfabank, Novatek and others - these companies and their executives should act as defendants, and their property should be a subject to compensation of damages. In 19th century such companies as Bayer, Friedrich Krupp AG and others stood at the Nuremberg trials. If we have such precedents after World War II, then there must also be some for the russian oligarchs. Business and government act together in this war. When people pay taxes in the state, produce weapons and all that is needed in time of war - they are accomplices to the crime.
• Are direct lawsuits against russia possible? One of the obstacles is the concept of sovereign immunity of the state. International practice prohibits circumvention of  sovereign immunity but there are some exceptions on which we must rely.

• Ukraine is actively working on expanding a responsible individuals list in Ukrainian claims for damages. It can be not only the Russian Federation, but also its residents. It is important to form a strong evidentiary base and confirm a connection between the defendant and Ukrainian war.

• Class actions against the Russian Federation can be an effective mechanism for redress. Also, especially relevant is the issue of reimbursement of the moral damage  to every Ukrainian.

At the end of the discussion Oleg Malinevskiy said that lawyers society should be united in such difficult time in order to provide quality and lawful mechanisms of compensation that will be in compliance with international law. We expect a lot of work in the near future. 

Thank you all for joining us. We will definitely win, obtain compensation from russia and rebuild our country!

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