News

MAGENTA Legal has launched a new online platform bringing together a comprehensive knowledge base on Western sanctions and Russian counter-sanctions, information on legal mechanisms for dealing with frozen securities, and a range of digital tools for investors.

The platform is designed for private Russian and foreign investors, as well as international companies facing restrictions on Russian securities, unpaid dividends or difficulties in exercising their rights over assets due to sanctions and counter-sanctions measures.

A legal knowledge base: from sanctions restrictions to asset recovery mechanisms

The platform provides an overview of the key restrictive measures introduced by the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia since 2022. A dedicated section covers Russian counter-sanctions, including special permit regimes, restrictions on securities transactions and procedures for performing obligations to foreign creditors.

The materials also address specific legal mechanisms available to investors seeking to protect their rights and regain control over their assets. These include:

• Dividend recovery - recovering unpaid dividends, coupons and other corporate payments;
• Recovery of shares through the courts - transferring Russian shares held in accounts with foreign brokers into the Russian financial infrastructure;
• Court-ordered conversion of depositary receipts - converting ADRs and GDRs into shares of Russian issuers through Russian courts;
• Sanctions regulator licences - obtaining regulatory authorisation for the transfer of frozen assets;
• Forced conversion - participating in depositary receipt conversion procedures that remain open for certain issuers.

Each section outlines the relevant legal framework, available courses of action and potential outcomes. This enables investors to better understand the existing mechanisms and make an initial assessment of the options available in their particular circumstances.

Digital tools for investors

In addition to legal and analytical materials, MAGENTA Legal has integrated its own digital services into the platform, allowing users to obtain preliminary information and independently check specific aspects of their situation.

The following tools are currently available:

• Dividend Checker helps investors assess whether they may be eligible to recover unpaid dividends on frozen shares and depositary receipts through the application-based procedure in Russia. The tool covers several major Russian issuers and provides a preliminary assessment of potential dividend claims.
• “Unfriendly” Status Checker allows users to determine whether a particular jurisdiction is included in Russia's official list of “unfriendly” states and territories.
• Double Tax Treaty (DTT) Status Checker provides information on the status of double tax treaties between Russia and selected countries, including whether they currently apply in practice.
• Court Fee Calculator helps estimate the state fee payable when filing a claim with a Russian commercial (arbitrazh) court, based on the claim amount and applicable rates.

By combining legal insights with practical digital services, the platform enables users not only to explore the relevant regulatory framework but also to make an initial assessment of their options.

MAGENTA Legal's practical experience

The platform builds on MAGENTA Legal's experience advising Russian and foreign investors affected by frozen securities and unpaid corporate distributions.

To date, the firm has helped more than 350 clients regain control of their assets. Its practice covers over 15 depositary programmes, with the total value of securities involved exceeding €56 million. The team has also handled more than 400 successful conversions and recoveries.

The new platform brings together the firm's accumulated legal expertise, practical solutions and digital services in one place, making information on available asset recovery mechanisms more accessible to investors worldwide.

Explore the MAGENTA Legal platform and its digital tools.

Investors seeking an individual legal assessment of their circumstances can also submit a request directly through the platform.

For operational updates, follow our Telegram Channel dedicated to forced conversions.

If you have individual questions or require legal support, our Telegram Bot is available for direct assistance.

You can also reach our team via the contact form on our Website.