Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Former CJI DY Chandrachud named Russia's arbitrator in Oschadbank dispute
Russia and Ukraine are having a big disagreement about money.
A bank in Ukraine called Oschadbank says Russia took its offices and other things in some parts of Ukraine.
Big disagreements like this between countries can be settled by a special group of judges called an arbitration tribunal.
Each side gets to pick one judge, and together they pick a third judge to lead the group.
Russia picked a very famous judge from India whose name is DY Chandrachud.
The bank picked a judge from Greece named Stavros Brekoulakis.
The third judge, from Costa Rica, is Dyalá Jiménez, and she will lead the group.
The bank says Russia should pay back hundreds of millions of dollars that it lost.
The disagreement is being handled using an agreement that Russia and Ukraine signed together in 1998.
Judge Chandrachud had told Russia no two times before, but this time he agreed to help.
Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has been appointed by Russia as its arbitrator in an international arbitration dispute with Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank.
The three-member tribunal will be presided over by Costa Rican arbitrator and former trade minister Dyalá Jiménez, with Greek professor Stavros Brekoulakis appointed by Oschadbank.
Oschadbank claims it lost hundreds of millions of dollars in assets and operations in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The proceedings were initiated under the 1998 Russia-Ukraine Bilateral Investment Treaty after a notice of dispute served on Russia in July 2025 allegedly went unanswered.
Chandrachud had previously declined Russia's approaches to serve as arbitrator in disputes brought by Wintershall Dea and Ukrenergo.
- Who
- Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud (Russia's appointee), tribunal president Dyalá Jiménez, Greek arbitrator Stavros Brekoulakis (Oschadbank's appointee), and the claimant, Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank.
- What
- Russia appointed Chandrachud as its arbitrator in a three-member international arbitration tribunal hearing Oschadbank's investment treaty claim over assets lost in four Ukrainian regions.
- When
- Oschadbank served a notice of dispute on Russia in July 2025, allegedly without a response; the appointment was subsequently reported by Global Arbitration Review.
- Where
- An international arbitration tribunal, concerning Oschadbank's assets and operations in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
- Why
- Oschadbank claims it lost hundreds of millions of dollars in assets and operations following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- Appointment
- Russia's arbitrator in the Oschadbank dispute
- Claimant
- Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank
- Tribunal president
- Dyalá Jiménez (Costa Rica)
- Oschadbank's arbitrator
- Stavros Brekoulakis (Greece)
- Legal basis
- 1998 Russia-Ukraine Bilateral Investment Treaty
- Claim value
- Hundreds of millions of dollars
- Disputed regions
- Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia
- Reported by
- Global Arbitration Review (cited by Bar and Bench)
