CEO of Russian defense conglomerate Rostec contracts U.S. firm to help lift sanctions
Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of the Russian state corporation Rostec, has inked a deal with American law firm Rathmell Short LLP to assist in removing sanctions against him. As reported by "Novaya Gazeta. Europe" on Friday, May 30, the agreement was published on the U.S. Department of Justice's website. The lobbying services are valued at $2.6 million.
Details of the contract reveal that it was signed on March 10 of this year between Rathmell Short LLP and two clients: Sergey Chemezov himself and Vasily Brovko, Rostec's Director for Special Assignments. As specified in the contract, attorneys from Rathmell Short are tasked with offering "legal advice relating to judicial and/or administrative proceedings in the U.S.," including filing requests to lift sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the State Department, and other agencies.
The website of Rathmell Short highlights the firm’s specialty in providing services to high-income clients and their businesses operating in challenging conditions globally.
Conflicting narratives have emerged regarding the origin of the initiative to lift sanctions. Russian state agencies claimed that the push to remove sanctions on Chemezov was initiated by the U.S. However, the outlet "Agentstvo" observed that the publication of the contract on the U.S. Department of Justice’s site was in compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which mandates public reporting on lobbying activities conducted in foreign interests. Igor Slabykh, a legal expert and author of the Telegram channel USLegalNews, told the Russian news outlet Agentstvo that this development is "not at all indicative of any U.S. intent to lift said sanctions. On the contrary, it appears that the firm was hired precisely to work towards such an outcome."
Chemezov has been subject to U.S. sanctions twice—initially in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea, and again in March 2022 in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to The Moscow Times (MT), Sergey Chemezov is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, having formed their connection during mutual service in Dresden in the 1980s. He has led Rostec since 2007, overseeing more than 700 enterprises in the defense, aviation, and electronics industries. Since 2014, Chemezov has been under sanctions from the U.S., European Union, United Kingdom, and other nations due to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.
Vasily Brovko has managed Rostec's information policies since 2016, handling challenges such as negative media coverage. Since 2022, Brovko has emerged as a key figure in legal battles involving anonymous Telegram channel administrators accused of extortion. He has faced U.S. sanctions since June 2022 as a Rostec board member, with the European Union imposing sanctions in February 2025.