Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has replenished its Moscow dispute resolution team with two lateral hires after a five-strong team left the office to set up their own litigation boutique last month.

Lawyers Fedor Belykh from Allen & Overy and Alexey Yadykin from Debevoise & Plimpton will join the firm as senior associates, replacing departures including Moscow disputes head Maxim Kulkov and disputes associate Oleg Kolotilov.

International head of dispute resolution David Scott said that the hires, along with the recent promotion of Anna Nersesian to partner in the firm's Moscow finance practice, "underline the firm's commitment to the Russian legal market".

It is understood that since the five lawyer team left to form litigation boutique KK&P Trial Lawyers last month, Freshfields' head of corporate in Moscow Dmitry Surikov has taken on leadership of the firm's dispute resolution practice in Russia with support from Paris partner Noah Rubins.

Two other lawyers from the firm's Russia corporate team were also relocated to the dispute resolution practice as a temporary measure, it is understood.

The staff changes leave Freshfields with 55 lawyers in its Moscow office out of a total staff of 150.

The firm did not confirm the number of lawyers in its Russia dispute resolution practice.

Many market observers point to the resilience of litigation work in a troubled Russian market, whereas general corporate and capital markets work has taken a hit recently.