Russian law does not recognise or directly enforce worldwide freezing orders issued by foreign courts. A foreign FMCG or retail creditor seeking to protect Russian-situated assets — stock in a distribution warehouse, trade receivables from a retail chain, or real property held by a Russian subsidiary — must apply for interim relief through Russian domestic proceedings entirely independently of any foreign order. The existence of a worldwide freezing order obtained in London, Amsterdam, or Nicosia carries no legal force before a Russian arbitrazh court and will not, by itself, prevent a Russian counterparty from dissipating those assets.
Under Russian civil and arbitrazh procedure, interim measures are available on application to the court that will hear the substantive dispute, or — where arbitration has been agreed — to the competent state court in support of those proceedings. The applicant must demonstrate that without interim relief, enforcement of a future judgment or award would be impossible or substantially impaired. Russian courts assess this threshold independently; a foreign court's prior finding that a freezing order is warranted is not binding and is rarely persuasive in practice.
For creditors in the FMCG and retail sector specifically, the assets most commonly targeted include registered trade marks (traceable through Rospatent), distribution agreements and accounts receivable, retail leasehold interests, and inventory held at third-party logistics providers. Each asset class requires a distinct attachment mechanism under Russian procedural law. A single application framed as an equivalent of a WFO will not succeed; the attachment must be asset-specific and supported by evidence of the asset's existence and location.
For a detailed procedural account, see Worldwide Freezing Orders and Russian-Situated Assets and the firm's Asset Tracing & Recovery practice page.
If you hold a worldwide freezing order and need to protect Russian-situated FMCG or retail assets — make an enquiry: info@vetrovpartners.com | WhatsApp/Telegram: +7 (983) 510-38-76
— Elizaveta Razina Senior Lawyer, Practice Lead — IP Enforcement, Vetrov & Partners vetrovpartners.com/razina/
Elizaveta Razina leads the firm's intellectual property practice, representing foreign trademark owners in infringement proceedings before Russian state courts and the IP Court. She advises on anti-counterfeiting strategy, parallel import controls, and asset-specific attachment proceedings involving IP and distribution assets in the FMCG and retail sector.
This publication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice under Russian or any other applicable law. The information herein should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel tailored to your specific circumstances. Vetrov & Partners is a Russian-qualified law firm. For matters governed by foreign law or requiring local admission in another jurisdiction, we collaborate with trusted counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@vetrovpartners.com.