Our cases

Criminal defence2022–2026

−2years each: Moscow City Court reduced the sentences

The Tushite Svet case: defence under art. 163 of the Criminal Code

One of the most high-profile media criminal cases of 2022–2024: the former editor-in-chief of Tatler, a journalist and Ksenia Sobchak’s commercial director were accused of extorting RUB 11 million from Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov. Two of the three defendants were represented by attorneys Dmitry Malyutov and Kristina Tsypkalo the case team was led by Vladimir Kovalev, founder and managing partner of Kovalev & Partners LLC.

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Art. 163(3)(b) of the Criminal CodeTverskoy and Khamovnichesky courts, Moscow City Court12 February 2024 · 2 September 2024

M&A and corporate law2024

49,000sq m within the transaction perimeter

M&A support: Amba supermarkets to X5 Group

We advised on X5 Group's acquisition of the Amba supermarket chain in Khabarovsk Territory: long-term lease rights over sites totalling more than 49,000 sq m, and their relaunch under the Pyaterochka brand in Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur and 14 district centres. The territory became the chain's 69th region of operation.

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M&A · retailKhabarovsk Territory7 August 2024

Tax disputes2024

RUB 93.5million of tax assessment overturned

Tax assessment and interest overturned after a field tax audit

Following a field audit, VK-I was assessed RUB 93.5 million of arrears and RUB 26.4 million of interest, with administrative proceedings opened under art. 122(3) of the Tax Code: the tax authority treated loans from a foreign company as artificial. We proved the economic purpose of the loans, that they were actually serviced, and that the audit itself was procedurally flawed. The decision was quashed and the proceedings discontinued.

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Tax · field auditInterest RUB 26.4 million7 August 2024

Debt recovery and commercial litigation2024

RUB 3.06billion in principal debt claimed

Otkrytye Tekhnologii claims against Sibantracit group companies

We act for Otkrytye Tekhnologii LLC in claims against Razrez Kiyzassky LLC and Razrez Vostochny LLC for RUB 3.06 billion and RUB 1.29 billion respectively. The customers stopped advance payments, refused to sign completion certificates and closed access to the sites, while the results of the work are in use. The cases are before the Arbitrazh Court of the Republic of Mari El.

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Construction contract · RUB 4.4 billionArbitrazh Court of the Republic of Mari El18 June 2024

Subsidiary liability2024

2 of 3clients released from the claims

Subsidiary liability claim refused in the AO E. insolvency

The bankruptcy trustee applied to hold three of our clients subsidiarily liable. We obtained an order splitting the claims into separate proceedings and prepared an individual position for each. The Arbitrazh Court of the City of Moscow refused the trustee's application in respect of two of them; work for the third continues.

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Insolvency · subsidiary liabilityCase No. А40-25957/20-106-3524 April 2024

Digital law2026

2regulatory regimes reconciled: energy and mining

Legalising crypto mining on self-generated power and entering the FTS register

A company installed a gas-piston power plant and mining hardware in leased premises. We ran a legal audit at the junction of electricity and mining regulation, restructured the project and the arrangements with the landlord, and took the client through to entry in the Federal Tax Service register of miners. The client's name is protected by a confidentiality agreement.

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Mining · energyLaws No. 221-FZ · 35-FZ · 418-FZ2026

Family law2026

4children — each one's interests reflected in the new order

Child maintenance redistributed after the eldest child came of age

Our client has four children, two from a previous marriage, for whom he paid maintenance under a court order. When the eldest son turned 18, the payments for the other children did not recalculate automatically — only a court can change the amount. We prepared the claim, ran the proceedings and in July 2026 obtained a new judgment with the recalculation. The parties' names are not disclosed.

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Family law · maintenanceArticle 119 of the Family Code07.2026

Personal insolvency2020

RUB 1.9million of bank debt

Bank debts of Ms Kh. discharged through personal insolvency

The client could not service her loans; matters were complicated by the fact that she actually lives in Moscow but is registered in the Ulyanovsk Region. The case was conducted by Dmitry Malyutov, advocate of the Kovalev, Malyutov, Tsypkalo & Partners Moscow Bar Association.

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Personal insolvencyCase No. А72-3325/202023 April 2024

Personal insolvency2024

6months of procedure

Insolvency of Ms Sh.: full discharge from debt

A textbook case of mandatory insolvency: the signs of inability to pay were obvious, and the question was not whether to file but how to file without mistakes. We assembled the documents, ran the case and took the procedure through to a full discharge.

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Personal insolvencyDebt over RUB 500,00023 April 2024

Contract disputes2021

RUB 900thousand advance payment recovered

Recovery of an advance payment for equipment never delivered

Company A. paid an advance of RUB 900,000 for a welding machine that was never delivered. We complied with the pre-action procedure, recovered the sum as unjust enrichment with interest and saw the matter through to the money actually being received.

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Unjust enrichmentCase No. А40-32064/202123 April 2024

Civil disputes2021

3instances completed

Claim on a 2010 loan defeated on limitation grounds

Our client was sued on promissory notes dating from 2010 that had been assigned under an assignment agreement. We pleaded limitation, lost at first instance and secured the complete reversal of the judgment on appeal; the cassation court upheld that decision.

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Limitation periodCase No. 2-1197/202123 April 2024

Personal insolvency2021

6months to discharge

Insolvency of Mr K.: discharge from debt in six months

Unable to cope with his debt obligations, the client asked us to conduct the procedure. The application was filed with the Arbitrazh Court of the Moscow Region and the procedure was completed six months later.

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Personal insolvencyCase No. А41-75343/202123 April 2024

Insolvency of sole proprietors2020

А40-176655/2020sole proprietor insolvency case

Insolvency of a sole proprietor after a pandemic support loan

A pandemic business support loan turned into a debt the entrepreneur could no longer service. We analysed the structure of his obligations, prepared the petition for his insolvency and ran the case before the Arbitrazh Court of the City of Moscow.

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Sole proprietor insolvencyCase No. А40-176655/202023 April 2024

Civil disputes2021

RUB 50,000+advance payment recovered

Advance recovered and contract terminated over a defective advertising structure

The customer paid for the manufacture and installation of an advertising structure but received a result with substantial defects. The contract was terminated, the advance and interest recovered, and the judgment upheld on appeal.

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Customer protectionCase No. А40-261652/202123 April 2024

Personal insolvency2020

RUB 41million of guarantor's debt

Guarantor released from debt of more than RUB 41 million

A guarantee given for a corporate loan left a driver on a modest income owing more than RUB 41 million. We assessed the signs of inability to pay, prepared the petition and obtained an order opening the realisation of assets.

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Personal insolvency · guaranteeCase No. А40-148257/202014 November 2022

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Case descriptions reflect the result in a particular matter on particular facts. A result in one case neither guarantees nor implies a similar result in another.