Dispute Concerning the Detention of Ukrainian Naval Vessels and Servicemen (Ukraine v. the Russian Federation)

On 1 April 2019, Ukraine served on the Russian Federation a Notification and Statement of Claim under Annex VII to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) referring to a dispute concerning the detention of Ukrainian naval vessels and servicemen. The Permanent Court of Arbitration acts as Registry in this arbitration.


Case information

Name(s) of Claimant(s) Ukraine (State)
Name(s) of Respondent(s) The Russian Federation (State)
Names of Parties -
Case number 2019-28
Administering institution Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
Case status Pending
Type of case Inter-state arbitration
Subject matter or economic sector Law of the sea
Procedural rules - Other -
Treaty or contract under which proceedings were commenced

Multilateral treaty
UNCLOS

Language of Proceeding English
Seat of Arbitration (by Country) - N/A -
Arbitrator(s), Conciliator(s), Other Neutral(s)

Professor Donald McRae (Presiding Arbitrator) (until 6 March 2024)

Judge Gudmundur Eiriksson

Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum (until 6 March 2024)

Judge Vladimir Golitsyn (until 26 March 2023)

Professor Alexander N. Vylegzhanin (as of 30 May 2023)

Sir Christopher Greenwood, GBE, CMG, QC

Representatives of the Claimant(s)

Agent

Ms. Oksana Zolotaryova, Director, International Law Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (as of 8 October 2021)

H.E. Yevhenii Yenin, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (as of 21 May 2020 - until 8 October 2021)

H.E. Ms. Olena Zerkal, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (until 21 May 2020)

 

Co-Agent

H.E. Vsevelod Chentsov, Head of Mission of Ukraine to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (as of 21 May 2020)

 

Counsel

Ms. Oksana Zolotaryova, Director, International Law Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (until 8 October 2021)

Ms. Marney L. Cheek, Covington & Burling LLP

Mr. Jonathan Gimblett, Covington & Burling LLP

Mr. David M. Zionts, Covington & Burling LLP

Mr. Nikhil V. Gore, Covington & Burling LLP

Professor Alfred H.A. Soons

Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin

Representatives of the Respondent(s)

Agents

Mr. Gennady Kuzmin, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation at the United Nations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as of 17 February 2023)

H.E. Mr. Alexander Shulgin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (as of 17 February 2023 - until 13 March 2024)

H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lobach, Ambassador-at-large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (until 17 February 2023)

 

Counsel

Mr. Kirill Udovichenko, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Mr. Sergey Korolev, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Ms. Anna Kostina, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Mr. Mikhail Abramov, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS)(as of 24 November 2022)

Mr. Artem Lupandin, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Mr. Anatoly Balan, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Ms. Anastasia Taranova, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Ms. Irina Donskikh, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (MZS) (as of 24 November 2022)

Ms. Ksenia Galkina, Second Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs  

Dr. Bing Bing Jia, School of Law, Tsinghua University (as of 24 November 2022 - until 26 January 2024)

Mr. Onur Sabri Durak, Peking University (as of 24 November 2022 - until 14 April 2023)

Mr. Vasily Torkanovskiy, Ivanyan and Partners (until 1 October 2022)

Mr. Andrey Gorlenko, Ivanyan and Partners (until 1 October 2022)

Ms. Elena Burova, Ivanyan and Partners (until 1 October 2022)

Professor Alain Pellet (until 17 March 2022)

Professor Tullio Treves, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Samuel Wordsworth, QC, Essex Court Chambers (until 17 March 2022)

Ms. Amy Sander, Essex Court Chambers (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Sergey Usoskin (until 17 March 2022)

Ms. Tessa Barsac (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Renato Raymundo Treves, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP (until 17 March 2022)

Representatives of the Parties
Number of Arbitrators in case 5
Date of commencement of proceeding 01 April 2019
Date of issue of final award -
Length of Proceedings Pending
Additional notes -

Documents

Written submission
Preliminary objections of the Russian Federation
Observations of Ukraine on the question of bifurcation
Response of the Russian Federation to the observations of Ukraine on the question of bifurcation
Reply of Ukraine to the response of the Russian Federation on the question of bifurcation
Ukraine - Exhibits
Ukraine - Legal authorities
Russian Federation - Exhibits
Russian Federation - Legal authorities
Written observations and submissions of Ukraine on the Preliminary objections of the Russian Federation on Preliminary objections
Procedural Documents
Procedural Order No. 1
Rules of Procedure
Terms of Appointment
Procedural Order No. 2
Dissenting Opinion to Procedural Order No. 2
Procedural Order No. 3
Procedural Order No. 4
Procedural Order No. 5
Procedural Order No. 6
Procedural Order No. 7
Procedural Order No. 8
Award or other decision
Award on Preliminary Objections
Decision on Challenges
Dissenting Opinion of Sir Christopher Greenwood
Press Release
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Press Release
Communiqué de presse
Image
Hearing in session
H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lobach, Agent of the Russian Federation
Ms. Oksana Zolotaryova, Agent of Ukraine
Video
Introductions of the Parties and Opening Statement of H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lobach, Agent for the Russian Federation
Opening Statement of Ms. Oksana Zolotaryova, Agent for Ukraine
Transcript/Minutes
Opening Statement of the Russian Federation Transcript
Opening Statement of Ukraine Transcript