Legal action initiated against the creator of "Hortitsa" brand, seeking a substantial sum of 800 million rubles.

In a series of legal battles, several prominent alcohol companies and trademarks are at the centre of ongoing disputes in Russia. The case is set to unfold in the Moscow Arbitration Court on September 6, 2025, with additional hearings scheduled for September 30.

Among the assets arrested are the "Feodosia Wine and Vodka Plant", the "Crimean Wine House", the "Russian North" and "Rodnik i K" liquor and vodka plants, and distributors "Traditions of Success", "Standard of Quality", and "New Level". These companies, along with defendants Yevgeny Chernyak, Alexander Bespalov, and GSH Trademarks Limited, find themselves embroiled in the legal proceedings.

The crux of the matter revolves around a lawsuit filed by "Rodnik i K" (owned by Rosimushchestvo) on July 31, 20XX, seeking to recognize a deal to transfer the company's assets to GSH Trademarks Limited as invalid and to recover 670.5 million rubles. The lawsuit also includes a request for 91 trademarks belonging to GSH Trademarks Limited as security for the lawsuit.

Yevgeny Chernyak, the founder of the alcohol holding Global Spirits, is one of the key figures in this dispute. Over the past three years, assets linked to him have been arrested in Russia. In the spring of 2024, these assets were seized, including those related to the "Stolichnaya" and "Moskovskaya" vodka brands, which had previously been seized by Rosimushchestvo in 2024 when Yuri Shefler, listed as a terrorist and extremist by Rosfinmonitoring, was targeted.

In a twist of events, GSH Trademarks Limited itself initiated a dispute over trademarks, filing a lawsuit in the District Court of Nicosia (Cyprus) against "Rodnik i K" and "Russian North" for violating the rights to trademarks, one of which is "Hortitsya". It is worth noting that the trademarks in question are internationally registered, and there are no other ways for Rosimushchestvo to obtain the rights to them.

The sale of assets directed towards the Russian Federation's income brought 80 billion rubles to the budget in 2024, with an annual plan of 6 billion rubles from the sale of assets and state property for 2025. The plan for 2025 is 517 billion rubles, and a large-scale privatization of industrial and manufacturing enterprises is expected in 2026.

In summer 2025, five alcohol factories, including those from OOO "Bayaderka Holding", National Alcohol Traditions, Business-Groups (Moscow), Southern Alcohol Traditions, and Alcohol Traditions of Crimea (Crimea), were included in the draft plan for privatization.

In the meantime, Global Spirits has continued production, with over 2.1 million liters of "Horta" vodka sold in January-June 2025, despite the termination of license agreements.

The outcome of these legal battles will undoubtedly have significant implications for the Russian alcohol industry and the broader economy. Stay tuned for updates as the court proceedings unfold.