Eastern Europe & Russia

HFW providing legal advice in Eastern Europe & Russia

HFW has been active in Eastern Europe and Russia for many years. As such, our team have a thorough understanding of the dynamics of the markets and the likely implications of economic and political developments on those markets.

What we do in Eastern Europe & Russia

Our multilingual team have the legal knowledge and commercial focus to advise on all aspects of transactions and dispute resolution matters in our sectors of focus across the region.

Our experience in Eastern Europe & Russia

We have represented a variety of clients across Eastern Europe and Russia, including governments, leading global companies and financial institutions.

Some examples of our work in Eastern Europe and Russia include:

• Advised on the acquisition of Alpha Bank Serbija by MK Group subsidiary AIK Banka a.d.
• Advised the managers of Bambi and Knjaz Milos on the sale of the Danube Food group of companies to private equity firm Mid Europa Partners.
• Advised a major oil company in relation to a complex pre-financing under a long-term contract for the purchase of fuel oil originating from Arctic Russia, in a deal worth approximately US$500m a year.
• Assisted the Russian government in its negotiations on its WTO accession, the EU–Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, the ECSC–Russia Agreement on trade in certain steel products and the EU–Russia talks regarding the EU's enlargement and the consequences for Russia.
• Advised a leading global resource company in a multi-million pound default involving a Russian FOB seller of coal. Important issues of frustration, force majeure, limitation of liability and quantum emerged.
• Acted on behalf of the sponsor and nominated adviser to a Kazakh-incorporated vehicle in respect of its dual listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.
• Advised on the US$1.3bn sale of the Delta Maxi supermarket chains in Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia.
• Acted on a multi-million dollar dispute for the owners of an oilseed crushing plant in Eastern Europe.
• Advised a rail freight aggregator following allegations of serious delays in the transport of numerous consignments to various destinations throughout Eastern Europe.
• Advising MUFG Bank, Citi, SG and Credit Agricole on a $300m limited recourse prepayment facility to Trafigura to finance the purchase of copper cathodes from Norilsk Nickel (winner of TXF "Large Trader Deal of the Year" 2019).
• Advising a Dutch bank on a $50m prepayment facility to the offshore trading arm of a Russian oil refinery.
• Advising various Russian banks on enforcement of judgments against assets in Switzerland.
• Advising a fund on criminal proceedings against the former director of a bankrupt Russian steel plant.
• Advising the trading arm of a Russian bank on a $20m gold doré prepayment facility to a gold mine in Armenia.
• Advising the Swiss subsidiary of a Russian bank on numerous commodity trade finance facilities in UAE, Switzerland and UK.
• Advising the trading arm of a Russian oil major on its crude, oil product and LNG trading agreements.
• Advising the trading arm of a Russian grain group on its GAFTA and other shipping and trading disputes.
• Advising a Swiss bank on enforcement of an $11m debt claim against a Kazakh bank relating to post-financing of letters of credit issued on behalf of a Kazakh sugar company.