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Gazprom on June 22 learnt that the English court banned any transactions with Gazprom's assets in the territory of England and Wales on June 18.
Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom, at the request of the court considering a lawsuit lodged by National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine, was compelled to disclose its assets in England and Wales, including a stake in Nord Stream AG.
"Today, Gazprom has obtained the consent of the Russian Ministry of Energy to disclose information about its assets in the territory of England and Wales at the request of the English court and, acting in good faith, disclosed this information in the manner prescribed by the court. Among these assets is Nord Stream AG's stake, which is in ownership of Gazprom and being kept by a pledge holder. This does not mean a new encumbrance for Nord Stream AG shares or their transfer in some way in favor of Naftogaz of Ukraine," reads the company's statement, as reported by the Russian Prime business news agency.
Read alsoSwiss court re-instates attachment of Gazprom's assets – Naftogaz
"Gazprom on June 22 learnt that the English court banned any transactions with Gazprom's assets in the territory of England and Wales on June 18," it added.
"Taking into account the submitted request for the abolition of the decision of the Stockholm arbitration under the [gas] transit contract of February 28 and the decision of the Svea court (Sweden) to suspend its execution, Gazprom will continue to protect its rights by all legal means," the company said in a statement.
As UNIAN reported earlier, at the end of February 2018, the Russian energy monopoly, Gazprom, lost a lawsuit filed by Naftogaz with Stockholm arbitration on a gas transit contract. Gazprom was obliged to pay $4.6 billion to the Ukrainian side.
At the same time, taking into account the arbitration award on the gas supply contract, the final amount of settlements between the companies is $2.6 billion in favor of Naftogaz.
Against the backdrop of their loss, Gazprom announced their intention to terminate via court its contracts with Ukraine for the supply and transit of gas. Late in March, Gazprom officially notified Naftogaz of their refusal to comply with the arbitration award.
Late in May, Naftogaz began the process of forcing a $2.6 billion debt from Gazprom in foreign courts. The recovery process has already begun in England, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Among the assets of interest to the Ukrainian side are the shares of companies operating the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines.
In the middle of June, Gazprom said that the Swedish court suspended enforcement of the Stockholm arbitration award in a dispute over the gas transit contract. Naftogaz is now challenging the court decision.