Corporate bankruptcy involves two separate deadlines: the limitation period for the debt and the deadline for presenting a registered claim. Meeting one does not automatically cure missing the other. Start with the obligation’s history, not the bankruptcy date.
Legal sources reviewed: 3 October 2026 · Pavel Petrov
Underlying debt
Establish when the creditor became entitled to demand performance.
Event history
Check payments, acknowledgment and earlier litigation.
Procedural deadline
Separately check claim presentation and the deadline for objections.
The limitation period for an ordinary contractual debt
Article 196 of the Civil Code sets a general three-year period, with commencement governed by Article 200; particular claims may have special periods. Where a payment date is agreed, the relevant starting event is expiration of the performance deadline. Obligations payable on demand follow different rules.
Do not count three years mechanically from the contract, invoice or bankruptcy announcement. One contract can contain several deliveries with different payment dates. Assess the disputed obligations separately and identify which part of the claim is affected by the proposed limitation defense.
Events affecting the calculation
Article 203 provides for interruption through conduct acknowledging the debt; the period then starts again. But a letter or payment cannot automatically be treated as acknowledgment of every disputed amount. Examine its contents, signatory authority, payment reference and date.
If litigation, a court order or a judgment already exists, separately analyze the effects of judicial protection. Limitation for the debt, the deadline for presenting an enforcement document and review of a judgment are distinct issues. A simple “date plus three years” calculation cannot replace that analysis.
Documents to collect
| Document | Purpose | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Contract and attachments | Establish performance deadlines | Deferral, stages and demand conditions |
| Delivery and acceptance records | Check creditor performance | Actual dates and separate batches |
| Payment records | Reconcile payment and possible acknowledgment | Sum, reference and relevant obligation |
| Correspondence and reconciliation | Assess acknowledgment | Signatory, authority and exact wording |
| Earlier litigation records | Account for judicial protection | Filing dates, outcomes and finality |
| Bankruptcy claim | Compare claimed amounts | Presentation date and calculation |
Raising a limitation defense
Article 199 requires a proper application before the decision; the court should not automatically reject a claim simply because the debt is old. Bankruptcy standing to object is governed by special rules in Articles 16, 71 and 100 of Federal Law No. 127-FZ.
Identify the particular claim, the calculated start and end dates, reviewed events and requested outcome. Attach a chronology and evidence. Saying that a contract is old does not replace a calculation and a procedural application.
Three review stages
Separate obligations
Match each payment to the contract, performance and payment deadline.
Review events
Assess acknowledgment, judicial protection and relevant special rules.
Choose the filing
Check standing and the deadline for raising the issue in the relevant separate dispute.
If registering your own claim, check limitation before filing while also monitoring the register deadline. If challenging another claim, do not wait until the bankruptcy ends: establish the consideration date and submit supported objections in time.
Frequently asked questions
Does bankruptcy automatically give a creditor another three years?
That conclusion requires analysis. Consider the original obligation, relevant events and judicial-protection rules.
Are limitation and register closure the same deadline?
No. The former concerns protection of the debt right; the latter concerns presentation within the procedure. Check both separately.
Does any reconciliation statement interrupt limitation?
Not automatically. Its contents, the signatory’s authority, the specific debt and timing matter.
Can limitation be raised against a debt already confirmed by judgment?
Do not treat this as a simple new dispute over the original debt. First establish the judgment’s effect and the available procedural mechanism.
Related guides
- Objections to a corporate creditor claim
- Closing the creditors’ register
- Registering a corporate claim
Review your documents before taking action
Pavel Petrov can review the case stage, evidence and proposed procedural steps. Bring the case number and relevant documents so the advice addresses your situation.
Initial consultationLegal sources
The guide concerns Russian corporate bankruptcy. Future statutory amendments are not applied before their effective date.