Why this RUB 330+ million construction dispute matters for the entire market?

A recent court victory handled by the Tenzor Consulting Group legal team may become an important precedent for Russia’s construction and infrastructure sector.

The dispute involved one of the country’s largest industrial corporations and a contractor that performed substantial additional construction works during the execution of a major project. While these works were not initially reflected in the original project documentation, they became necessary at the client’s request and were fully integrated into the final result used by the заказчик afterwards.

Despite continuing to benefit from the completed works, the client refused payment, relying on a narrow and highly formal interpretation of the contract terms.

Our legal team successfully proved that such interpretation contradicted the overall structure and logic of the agreement, as well as the factual conduct of the parties throughout the project. A key role in the case was played by a detailed judicial construction expertise confirming that the works were necessary for the completion of the facility and had in fact been performed in full.

As a result, the court awarded the contractor more than RUB 325 million. The decision was later upheld by both appellate and cassation courts.

The case highlights an important trend in large-scale construction disputes: successful outcomes increasingly depend on a combination of strong contractual strategy, technical expertise, and the ability to prove the actual commercial substance of the project beyond formal documentation alone.

More details about the case and key legal takeaways are available in the Russian business press.