Simon Davenport QC & Helen Pugh consider how the limbo land of Brexit could affect Russian/CIS litigation in London
- Whether the success of the UK as a forum for Russian/CIS litigation can survive today’s political and more competitive environment.
The past popularity of London as a centre for Russian litigation is undoubtedly being threatened by a number of dark clouds on the horizon. First and foremost is the deteriorating geopolitical environment. While the invasion of Ukraine, the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and tragic death of ‘bystander’ Dawn Sturgess on British soil, and election meddling and alleged links to the Trump Presidential campaign all steal the headlines, it is the anti-corruption campaign which is likely to have the greatest impact on Russian nationals and Russian assets in the UK.
The UK Foreign Affairs Committee report entitled ‘Moscow’s Gold: Russian Corruption in the UK’, published on 21 May 2018, concluded frankly that: ‘The use of London as a base for the corrupt assets of Kremlin-connected individuals
