Russian court rules in favor of Gazprom's anti-suit injunction against Naftogaz of Ukraine

MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax) - The Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region has granted Gazprom's claim for an anti-suit injunction against Naftogaz of Ukraine.

"The claim is fully satisfied," the arbitration case file said.

As reported, Gazprom filed a lawsuit on June 5, 2025, with the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region seeking an anti-suit injunction against NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine. The dispute concerns their 2019 transit contract. Ukraine declared force majeure regarding gas reception for transit through one of two routes - via the Sokhranovka gas metering station, allegedly due to the inability to maintain operational and technological control over the Novopskov compressor station. The Russian company maintains there were no valid grounds for force majeure and no obstacles to continuing operations under previous arrangements.

Gazprom seeks to prohibit Naftogaz from pursuing any legal proceedings against it outside Russia regarding this contract, from initiating reciprocal anti-suit injunctions, and from obtaining or enforcing any decisions related to the disputed contract. On June 9, the court issued corresponding injunctive relief as interim measures.

A previous ruling by the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region on January 22, 2024, prohibited Naftogaz from continuing proceedings in the International Arbitration Court at the International Chamber of Commerce regarding the dispute between the companies. This ruling was not complied with.

Under these circumstances, there is a high probability that the Ukrainian company may seek enforcement of the decision in foreign courts. There is also a risk that Naftogaz might file for seizure or recovery of Gazprom's assets before the current case is resolved, which would render the court's decision unenforceable and cause significant damage to the claimant that would be unlikely to be compensated, the court concluded while granting the interim measures.