MOSCOW, April 17 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s largest bank Sberbank said Thursday it is considering retaining top legal aid to protect its interests in Ukraine, following a statement by prosecutors in the country that a criminal case had been opened against the bank.
“Sberbank values its reputation and it may apply to one of the leading international law firms in order to protect its interests,” the company said, adding that it is a global financial institution present in 22 countries worldwide.
On Wednesday, prosecutors in Ukraine opened criminal cases against 14 banks, including state-controlled Sberbank.
The Ukrainian Security Service said Tuesday it had launched a criminal case against the employees of an unnamed Russian bank on suspicion of financing protests in eastern Ukraine.
Sberbank commented by saying that it obeys legislation on combating the financing of terrorism.
“Regulations of the Ukrainian and international legislation, including recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, are strictly observed,” the bank said in its statement.
Sberbank said that it has not yet received any official notice from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, but said it will be willing to make a detailed inquiry into the claims.
Sberbank is Russia’s largest lender with over 106 million domestic and 11 million foreign customers. The bank has 211 branches in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Ukraine’s interim government has repeatedly accused Russia of destabilizing the situation in the southeastern regions of the country, where pro-federalization rallies have been raging since last month.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected accusations of Russia being behind the protests in Ukraine, criticizing the US and EU for attempting to blame Moscow for domestic events in the country.
