Now Reading: Russia appoints ex-CJI Chandrachud arbitrator in Ukraine bank dispute
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Russia appoints ex-CJI Chandrachud arbitrator in Ukraine bank dispute
Russia appoints ex-CJI Chandrachud arbitrator in Ukraine bank dispute
Russia has appointed former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud as its arbitrator in an investment treaty dispute with Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank, Global Arbitration Review reports. The claim, worth hundreds of millions…
The Story in Brief
Russia has appointed former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud as its arbitrator in an investment treaty dispute with Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank, Global Arbitration Review reports. The claim, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, concerns Oschadbank's assets and operations in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions that the bank says it lost after Russia's 2022 invasion. Oschadbank initiated proceedings after Russia allegedly did not respond to a notice of dispute sent in July 2025.
The three-member tribunal, constituted under the 1998 Russia-Ukraine bilateral investment treaty, will be presided over by Costa Rican arbitrator and former trade minister Dyalá Jiménez. Greek arbitrator Stavros Brekoulakis represents Oschadbank. Justice Chandrachud had previously declined two Russian requests to act as arbitrator in other disputes, including one involving German energy company Wintershall Dea.
The Indian Opinion
An ex-chief justice of India arbitrating for Russia against a Ukrainian bank might make headlines, but the appointment follows standard treaty procedures. Chandrachud had earlier declined two Russian approaches, so there is no pattern of deference here. The real test will be whether the tribunal's award respects bilateral investment protections or becomes another legal casualty of the war. How will the Indian bench read a ruling that touches Crimea's annexation?
Sources (2): livemint.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
