From Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein to Amazon and Sheraton, dozens of internationally recognised brands are under threat in Russia, as the withdrawal of Western businesses following the invasion of Ukraine has created a vacuum that is being exploited by brand «pirates». According to an analysis by Bloomberg Businessweek, more than 300 foreign companies have faced legal action challenging their rights in the country since early 2024, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Businessweek.
A number of companies - including Victoria's Secret, Ericsson, Inditex and Nokia - have already lost protection for certain of their trademarks as Russian courts have upheld cancellation actions. The trend intensified ahead of the third anniversary of the 2022 invasion, when many Western companies pulled out but retained their trademarks in anticipation of a future return to one of the world's largest consumer markets.
The legal framework allowing “piracy”
Russian law provides for the cancellation of a trademark if it is not used in the country for three years - less than the European five-year rule. Cancellation can be requested by any third party who files an application and pays a fee not exceeding $1,500. In practice, this means that companies that have been forced to withdraw due to sanctions are now at risk of losing their brand permanently on the Russian market.
As lawyer Robin Webster explains, companies that want to return at some point may find that their name has already been registered by a third party, making re-entry almost impossible.
A sign of a deeper drift away from the West
The case is not only about trademarks, but also indicates Russia's increasing separation from its traditional economic relations. The Kremlin has already nationalised assets of foreign companies, imposed compulsory sales at low prices and stated that their return will only be allowed if it serves national purposes. In this new environment, the protection of brands is seen as increasingly precarious.
Companies such as Giorgio Armani say they remain active in defending their portfolio, while Michelin representatives point out that the lawsuits mainly come from competitors attempting to exploit the brand recognition of their brands. Although they are not considering an immediate return to Russia, they are closely monitoring all proceedings to prevent the loss of their identity.
A “last line of defence”
The only practical way out for foreign companies is to renew their trademarks in time before they expire. The Russian patent office Rospatent recorded more than 15,500 applications in 2024, a number higher than in any year of the previous five years, as companies such as Intel and Microsoft rush to shield what they can from their portfolio.
The picture demonstrates that the «signal war» in Russia is now an integral part of the country's wider geopolitical and economic distancing from the West.
