Public Law Aspects of Protecting the Oil and Gas Sector from Secondary Sanctions

The paper examines the mechanisms of public law protection of the Russian oil and gas sector from secondary sanctions — extraterritorial restrictive measures introduced by foreign states and affecting the rights of third parties. The relevance of this topic is determined by the unprecedented sanctions restrictions from 2022 to 2025, targeting the Russian oil and gas sector, as well as the need to adapt national legislation to neutralize the indirect impact of such measures. The paper analyzes the international legal nature of secondary sanctions and the problems of their legitimacy, modern judicial practice and jurisdictional disputes arising from the clash of foreign sanctions with the Russian legal order. Particular attention is given to national «blocking» measures and counter-sanctions legislation aimed at protecting sovereign interests: from prohibiting the enforcement of foreign sanctions legislation to establishing the exclusive jurisdiction of Russian courts in disputes involving sanctions. Based on a comprehensive analysis of regulations, court decisions, and scientific opinions, the authors draw conclusions regarding the formation of a special sanctions-resistant legal regime in Russia, designed to ensure the stability of the oil and gas industry in the face of secondary sanctions, as well as suggest recommendations for its improvement.

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