Russia files lawsuit against Shell units, court documents show

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s prosecutor general has filed a lawsuit against a number of Shell’s major energy units, court documents showed on Friday.

The lawsuit, filed with the Moscow Arbitration Court on October 2, was addressed to eight Shell entities. The documents showed that it was launched by Gazprom Export, the Russian Energy Ministry, regional authorities on the Pacific island of Sakhalin, Sakhalin Energy and the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office.

No further details were provided and Shell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shell had several projects in Russia before Moscow sent thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022 as part of a so-called special military operation.

The company was involved in a liquefied natural gas production plant on the Pacific island of Sakhalin operated by the Kremlin-controlled Gazprom.

In response to sanctions imposed by the West, Russia tightened its control over the plant and Shell left Russia.

This meant the company ended its involvement in the Sakhalin power plant, as well as other activities such as its investments in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Osborn)