A long-running legal saga involving a private jet stranded in Russia has taken another turn in the Isle of Man High Court.

VTB Bank obtained a worldwide freezing order in 2019 against Russian businessman Dmitry Petrovich Mazurov and Manx company Campino.

Campino’s main asset is a Bombardier jet stranded in Moscow since before the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

Mazurov, a former oil refinery owner, is serving 10 years in a Russian penal colony after being convicted of fraud and embezzlement in 2023.

Russian national bank VTB alleged that Mazurov was the beneficial owner of Campino.

However, in a judgment handed down in May, Deemster Andrew Corlett dismissed all VTB’s claims, finding no basis for allegations that Mazurov was Campino’s ultimate beneficial owner or that there had been a conspiracy to conceal the facts.

Campino is now seeking an assessment of damages arising from the worldwide freezing order.

In response, VTB submitted an expert report from an aircraft airworthiness specialist as part of proceedings.

The report argued that the aircraft should have been properly maintained and serviced while detained in Moscow during the period in question.

The specialist also argued that, after the freezing order restrictions were lifted in February 2022, there was a 22-day window to remove the aircraft before a decree by President Putin in March prevented assets from being taken out of Russia.

However, Campino argued that the expert had expressed opinions beyond his area of expertise and was attempting to challenge findings already made by the court.

The Deemster agreed, ruling the report inadmissible because it sought to overturn findings of fact from his earlier judgment and therefore amounted to an abuse of process.

He said VTB could submit expert evidence concerning the aircraft’s current value to the court, but it must be produced promptly to avoid ‘yet further delays in this long-running saga’.