Kyiv, February 3, 2023 - The Austrian gas station network in Ukraine AMIC Energy appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with a lawsuit against russian federation.

"Russia's ruinous aggression against Ukraine must be punished. As an Austrian business, we are convinced that in the 21st century violence, destruction and hostile actions against an independent and democratic country cannot be committed with impunity,” said Amic Energy’s managing director, Günter Maier. “We believe that russia should be held accountable for all of its crimes against Ukrainians. Therefore, AMIC Ukraine filed a lawsuit before the ECHR, and we hope that the court will support our arguments and support other Ukrainian and international businesses in Ukraine that have taken such a step"

In the lawsuit of AMIC Ukraine submitted to the ECHR on January 14, 2023, the company claims that the hostile actions against the civilian population of Ukraine, the sovereign territory, the employees of AMIC Ukraine, and the enterprise as a whole, indicate a gross violation by russia of Article 1 of Protocol 1 to the European Convention of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to peaceful possession of the property. In particular, as a result of the illegal temporary occupation of certain Ukrainian territories by Russian troops in Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, AMIC Ukraine's property was seized, looted and destroyed by the russian army and the occupation authorities, both controlled by the terrorist nation.

Due to the specified actions of the aggressor country, access to AMIC ENERGY's property in Ukraine was lost, and the exploitation of its economic activity was impossible to conduct.

Russia’s actions in Ukraine, in the context of which the property of AMIC Ukraine was captured, looted or destroyed, is an act of aggression against Ukraine committed in violation of the basic principles of the UN, norms of international humanitarian law and human rights.

Based on the above, the russian federation bears full responsibility for its aggressive actions on the territory of an independent state, including the seizure, looting, and destruction of material assets belonging to AMIC Ukraine. The preliminary amount of claimed damages in the lawsuit is more than 300 million hryvnias (8.5 million euros).

“Our appeal to the European Court of Human Rights is not just a wish, it is our duty as a business entity in an independent and democratic country. “We demand justice and compensation for the losses we have suffered as a result of russian aggression,” said a spokesperson of CFI “AMIC Ukraine”.

The lawsuit was filed in accordance with Articles 34 and 41 of the above-mentioned Convention, which allows AMIC Ukraine to apply to the ECHR and seek just compensation from the russian federation for the damages incurred. In the coming months, a notice of initiation of proceedings on AMIC Ukraine's CFI claim at the ECHR is expected.

Background information:

Amic Energy is an Austrian company that operates a network of 470 mobile and stationary petrol stations in Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, with headquarters in Vienna. 

As of 2021, AMIC Ukraine is one of the largest petrol station networks in Ukraine in terms of sales volumes and holds a 7.4% share of the Ukrainian retail fuel market.

After the russian federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 36 petrol stations of AMIC Ukraine were damaged, looted or destroyed by the aggressor, including one of Ukraine's largest oil depots in Borodyanka, Kyiv region. As of February 3, 2023, there are still 19 petrol stations of AMIC Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories, with little information available on their condition.

From the moment of the full-scale invasion and until February 3, 2023, 11 gas stations in various Ukrainian regions have been repaired and are already operating. Currently, AMIC UKRAINE is completing restorations at 2 more gas stations: in the Sumy region and in the recently de-occupied Kherson.

In addition, since 24 February 2022, AMIC Ukraine hasn't stopped supporting the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military administrations and territorial communities of various regions, etc., and has already donated more than 275,000 liters of fuel. Moreover, provided the Armed Forces of Ukraine with sets of military clothing, body armor, thermal imaging devices, protected tablets, quadcopters, KVS ANTIDRON-G6, etc. for free.