Court orders Russia to pay about US$1.6m to Lviv Oblast business for sunflower seeds lost in occupied Svatove

The Commercial Court of Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine has ruled that Russia must pay UAH 65.36 million (about US$1.6 million) in damages to Oliiar, a private business. The company lost its stock of sunflower seeds after Russian armed groups seized a warehouse in occupied Svatove. The decision is one of several Ukrainian court rulings awarding compensation from Russia for losses caused by the war.

The transaction

In October 2021, Oliiar signed a contract to buy 4,700 tonnes of sunflower seed harvested that year from Prydniprovske Agrarian Company LLC. It also arranged for Svatove-Ahro LLC to store the crop. The supplier delivered the entire consignment to a warehouse run by Svatove-Ahro in Svatove.

By 24 February 2022, 2,592 tonnes had been sent on to Oliiar, while 2,107 tonnes remained in storage. After the full-scale invasion began, Russian armed groups seized the warehouse premises where the crop was kept.

The court's findings

The court concluded that Oliiar had supplied conclusive evidence that Russia's armed aggression directly caused the loss of the crop. The compensation amount was set on the basis of an expert valuation. Russia was represented in the case by its Ministry of Justice.

Oliiar is registered in Pustomyty, Lviv Oblast. Iryna Zalizna is listed as its founder and Iryna Podoba as its director.

Earlier ruling

The same court previously ordered Russia to pay Trading House Agrokhim LLC UAH 51.67 million (US$1.25 million) for property lost in Svatove, Luhansk Oblast, and in Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast.