As «Pepel» found out, one of the largest metal trading companies in Ukraine, «ALTAIR-D», filed a lawsuit in the Arbitration Court of the Belgorod Region against the Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant (OEMK) for the recovery of debt for paid but undelivered steel under three contracts, as well as penalties totaling more than 84.8 million rubles and 44.2 thousand US dollars.
According to the contracts, OEMK was supposed to deliver the steel at the beginning of 2022. However, due to the outbreak of war, the delivery did not take place, and the Ukrainian side sent a demand for the return of funds. OEMK refused, citing the ban imposed by Russian Railways at the start of the war on sending goods to Ukraine and sanctions against «unfriendly states».
The Belgorod Region Prosecutor's Office acted as a third party in the case and supported OEMK's refusal, stating that the return of funds to the company, which is part of the Ukrainian holding «AV Metal Group», could lead to «financing terrorism», as the holding assisted the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the department, the repayment of the debt by the Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant could be equated to treason.
According to the prosecutor's office, the «AV Metal Group» holding actively supported the Ukrainian armed forces in 2022: it transferred 18 pieces of equipment to them, participated in the construction of bastions and firing positions, and also publicly declared that it «intends to continue and do everything possible for Ukraine's victory against Russia's military aggression».
As a result, the court denied the claim of «ALTAIR-D», effectively allowing OEMK not to return the money for the undelivered steel, citing political and legal restrictions and the status of the Ukrainian counterparty as a party from an «unfriendly» country.