UPK RF

OBEP Raids on Russian IT Firms: How to Safeguard Source Code, Servers and Blockchain Assets During Searches

Russian IT companies, Web3 projects and fintech services now face frequent visits from OBEP operatives conducting pre-investigative checks or searches under criminal cases. The article details the legal distinction between operational-search measures and formal searches, emphasizing article 164.1 of the UPK RF that prohibits seizure of physical servers in economic crime investigations. It explains how companies can demand data mirroring instead of hardware removal and how to invoke article 51 of the RF Constitution when pressured for encryption keys. Commercial secret regimes are presented as a tool to raise criminal liability for leaks and to request closed court proceedings. Practical checklists cover document verification, staff instructions, password retention and immediate calls to specialized criminal counsel. The guidance aims to prevent business paralysis while preserving evidence integrity during raids.