Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 30, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRaiffeisen Bank avoids a major penalty as Strabag's claim is withdrawn, highlighting its role in Russian payments and ties with Austria.
VIENNA (Reuters) -A legal claim that could have triggered a penalty against Raiffeisen Bank International, the biggest Western bank in Russia, was withdrawn on Tuesday by a group of shareholders in an Austrian building company.
Raiffeisen, which has a critical role for Russia in handling payments, had been threatened by a court ruling that would have imposed a 1 billion euro penalty on the bank were a separate claim to go ahead against a Russian firm.
RBI was linked indirectly to the dispute through a complex web of cross shareholdings involving one of its own owners.
The claim against the Russian company Rasperia had been brought by shareholders of Austrian builder Strabag, including insurer Uniqa and one Raiffeisen shareholder. Strabag said on Tuesday the claim had been withdrawn.
An RBI spokesperson said it had been drawn into the dispute because it had assets in Russia but that it was not otherwise involved.
More than three years after Russia sent troops into Ukraine, Raiffeisen's continued presence in Russia underlines the lingering ties between Moscow and Vienna - with Vienna having served as a hub for cash from Russia and former Soviet states.
(Reporting by John O'Donnell and Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich; Editing by Alison Williams)
The legal claim threatened to impose a 1 billion euro penalty on Raiffeisen Bank International due to its indirect involvement in a dispute linked to a Russian company.
The claim was withdrawn by a group of shareholders in the Austrian builder Strabag, which included insurer Uniqa and one Raiffeisen shareholder.
Raiffeisen Bank was drawn into the dispute because it had assets in Russia, although it stated that it was not otherwise involved in the matter.
Raiffeisen's continued operations in Russia highlight the ongoing ties between Moscow and Vienna, especially as Vienna has served as a hub for Russian business.
Raiffeisen has maintained its presence in Russia for more than three years since the onset of the conflict when Russia sent troops into Ukraine.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
