Twitch faces an unprecedented legal challenge in Russia due to a lawsuit filed by former League of Legends pro player Kirill "Likkrit" Konstantinovich Malofeyev. The dispute arose after Twitch suspended Malofeyev's account in 2022 following US sanctions against Russia during the Ukraine invasion.

Malofeyev, son of Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev, was targeted due to his connections to "a worldwide sanctions evasion and malign influence network." After an initial failed lawsuit, Malofeyev succeeded in his second attempt under new Russian laws designed to counter sanctions.

The Russian court ordered Twitch to pay 100,000 rubles per day for Malofeyev's suspended account, with the amount doubling weekly without limit. According to Twitch's legal team, the accumulated fine now theoretically exceeds all money in existence, despite Malofeyev's account generating less than $2,000 in revenue while active.

Malofeyev attempted to enforce the Russian ruling through Turkish courts against Amazon (Twitch's parent company). However, Twitch argues this is invalid since Malofeyev's agreement was with Twitch specifically, not Amazon. Both companies are now seeking protection in the US justice system to prevent the Russian judgment's enforcement and compel arbitration.

This legal battle continues as the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its third year, having started on February 24, 2022.

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