In a surprise move, Russia’s top prosecutor has taken legal action against multiple subsidiaries of multinational energy giant Shell, according to court filings released on Friday. The lawsuit, submitted to Moscow’s Arbitration Court on October 2, targets eight separate Shell entities. The documents reveal that the legal challenge was initiated by a coalition of powerful Russian interests, including Gazprom Export, the Ministry of Energy, regional authorities from the Pacific island of Sakhalin, Sakhalin Energy, and the Office of the Prosecutor General. However, no further information has been disclosed regarding the nature of the lawsuit. Shell has declined to comment on the matter. This development comes after Shell’s decision to withdraw from Russia following the country’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022. Prior to its exit, Shell held a significant stake in a liquefied natural gas production facility on Sakhalin Island, which was led by Gazprom, a state-controlled energy company. In response to Western sanctions, Russia moved to consolidate its control over the facility, prompting Shell to divest its interests in the project as well as its investments in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline venture.
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