‘Putin chef’ case shows London courts welcome Russians no more

Several recent cases are showing that London courts are welcoming Russians no more. Like the April case at the commercial court where lawyers acting for Russian bank Vneshprombank were trying to hold down a freeze on assets held by a fugitive banker and one-time boss of the country’s bobsleigh team. The suit was being financed by a litigation funder, A1, previously owned by two of Russia’s richest men. A1’s attorneys were banned from entering the U.K. and the judge refused a video link to Moscow, despite the attorneys’ arguments that A1 had been sold to a businessman not touched by U.K. sanctions.