Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has been appointed as Russia’s nominee in an investment treaty dispute involving Ukrainian state-owned bank Oschadbank.
The dispute is being heard under the 1998 bilateral investment treaty between Ukraine and Russia. Oschadbank has claimed losses involving its assets and operations in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The claim is reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Three-Member Tribunal
The tribunal will be headed by Costa Rican arbitrator and former trade minister Dyalá Jiménez, who was jointly selected by Russia and Oschadbank.
Greek arbitrator and National University of Singapore professor Stavros Brekoulakis has been appointed by Oschadbank.
Chandrachud will serve as the third member and Russia’s nominee.
Earlier Russian Approaches
The appointment is notable because Chandrachud had previously declined Russian approaches to serve as its arbitrator in separate disputes involving German energy company Wintershall Dea and Ukrainian energy company Ukrenergo.
He had also stepped down from an appointing-authority role after disclosing communications from Russia.
This time, however, Chandrachud has accepted the role as Russia’s nominee in the Oschadbank proceedings.
The arbitration follows a notice of dispute issued by Oschadbank to Russia in July 2025. The proceedings will now determine the competing claims under the investment treaty framework.