Russia picks ex-CJI DY Chandrachud for legal battle with Ukrainian bank

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has been appointed Russia's arbitrator in a treaty dispute with Ukrainian state-owned bank Oschadbank. This comes months after the ex-CJI reportedly declined offers to represent Moscow in arbitration proceedings involving Wintershall Dea and Ukrenergo.

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will represent Russia in an international arbitration tribunal hearing a dispute brought by Ukrainian state-owned bank Oschadbank, according to a report by the Global Arbitration Review cited by Bar and Bench. The case pertains to the war between Russia and Ukraine and the claimed impact of military operations on the bank's operations.

The case stems from Oschadbank's claim over assets and business operations in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. The bank says it lost these following Russia's military actions in Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

The dispute is being heard under the 1998 bilateral investment treaty between Russia and Ukraine, reported Bar and Bench. Oschadbank's claim is understood to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The tribunal will have three members. Costa Rican arbitrator and former trade minister Dyala Jimenez will serve as its president after being selected jointly by Russia and Oschadbank.

The Bar and Bench report also said Greek arbitrator and National University of Singapore (NUS) professor Stavros Brekoulakis was chosen by Oschadbank as the third member.

Former CJI Chandrachud has been appointed by Russia.

Oschadbank initiated the arbitration after Russia allegedly failed to respond to a notice of dispute served by the bank in July 2025.

Chandrachud's appointment comes after he had reportedly turned down approaches from Russia previously to serve as its arbitrator in treaty disputes involving Wintershall Dea, a gas and oil production company, and Ukrenergo, a state-owned power transmission firm.

Those approaches were reportedly made on the same day that the Permanent Court of Arbitration had designated Chandrachud as the appointing authority in the Wintershall proceedings.

He later relinquished that role after disclosing the communications.

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