UK Court Orders Potanin to Answer Ex-Wife's Asset Questions

The High Court of England and Wales ordered businessman Vladimir Potanin to answer questions from his former wife regarding property.

Consensus

The High Court of England ordered Vladimir Potanin to respond to questions from his former wife, Natalia Potanina, in a long-standing asset division dispute.
The legal dispute between Potanin and his ex-wife began in 2014 after their divorce.
Potanin voluntarily refused to answer most of the 62 initial questions from his ex-wife.
The court ruled that Potanin must answer questions derived from the original 62, though the questions were edited in the ruling.
Potanin has until July 14, 2026 to provide answers, with a follow-up deadline of August 18, 2026 for clarifications.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for September 17–18, 2026, and the final hearing is set for November 2026.
The court emphasized the need for full and transparent disclosure of assets and fair treatment in the proceedings.
Natalia Potanina has pursued legal action in foreign courts after leaving Russia, following a prior Russian court award of over 2.5 billion rubles.

Natalia Potanina claims she is seeking half the value of Vladimir Potanin's 37% stake in Norilsk Nickel, estimated at approximately $9 billion. — vm
Natalia Potanina demands approximately $6 billion in compensation, arguing she received less than 1% of her husband's wealth. — kommersant
A Moscow court previously ruled in favor of Potanin and prohibited his ex-wife from continuing legal proceedings in the London High Court. — m24
The London court may require Potanin to disclose sensitive information about companies under his control, including Norilsk Nickel, which could lead to new international sanctions. — m24