Ukraine's Naftogaz hires American lawyers for the Crimean assets case against Russia
According to the ProZorro public procurement system’s data, the national joint-stock company Naftogaz of Ukraine hired the US law firm Covington & Burling LLP for $5.9 million to protect their rights and interests during the argument settlement with Russia about the seizure of the group’s assets in the Crimea.
The purchase of the service was part of a contractual procedure to attract skilled and highly qualified legal advisors to ensure the protection of the rights and interests of Ukraine during the settlement of disputes. The agreement was signed on January 21 and is set to last until December 31, 2019.
Covington & Burling has already provided legal services in the past to protect the interests of Naftogaz in this issue. In October 2016, seven Naftogaz’s subsidiaries initiated arbitration proceedings against the Russian Federation for damages caused by the seizure of assets in the Crimea.
In May 2018, hearings on the issues of jurisdiction and responsibility in this arbitration case ended in The Hague. The court will examine and rule on case of the Naftogaz’s losses at the second stage of the case hearing but after the decision on jurisdiction and liability is made.
The court will make the first decision on the case in the first quarter of 2019.