Russian Court Orders Drone Refund for Online Purchase
A St. Petersburg resident, Oksana Kubkina, secured a court ruling that requires the return of nearly one million rubles paid for drones that were never delivered after an online purchase. The decision marked a clear victory for a consumer who had provided payment on the online platform and later faced unresponsiveness from the sellers. The case involved a total of 948,050 rubles paid for the drones, with the court also awarding the buyer the state duty and interest, amounting to 145,656.79 rubles, to compensate for the use of another person’s money. The ruling emphasizes the protections available in online consumer transactions and highlights how courts intervene when goods are not delivered as promised.
At the hearing, it was established that Kubkina placed the order on June 20, 2023, and transferred the specified payment through the internet platform. Following receipt of the money, the individuals named as defendants ceased communications and did not deliver the goods. The court noted that the defendants did not attend the hearing despite being informed of the date and had not raised any objections to the claim. The judgment thus satisfied Kubkina’s demand, mandating the return of the funds plus the associated duties and interest related to the use of another person’s money.
In a separate update from October 15, reports indicated that a Norwegian court issued a decision involving businessman Andrei Yakunin, who had faced detention in 2022 for launching a drone in Spitsbergen. The court’s action resulted in a fine of 249,000 dollars, drawing attention to drone-related regulatory enforcement across jurisdictions and the growing convergence of technology, commerce, and law. The case underscores how drone activities have become focal points in contemporary legal and regulatory frameworks, whether it involves consumer purchases or broader aviation and safety rules.
Earlier coverage noted that Bakalçuk had put forward a new accusation against Tatyana Kim, the founder of Wildberries, illustrating ongoing legal scrutiny in major e-commerce ecosystems. These developments reflect the broader context in which online marketplaces operate, where disputes over delivery, refunds, and accountability can escalate into formal legal proceedings across different countries and regulatory environments. In this sense, the cases offer a lens into how courts address online transactions, consumer rights, and the responsibilities of sellers in the digital marketplace.