UK investment group Hermitage has filed a suit in Russia to regain control of assets taken by the government, The Guardian reported.

Hermitage Capital Management chief Bill Browder was charged with tax evasion by the governments' interior ministry last year, leading to the seizure of three companies owned by Hermitage.

A spokesperson for the investment group, which is focused on Russia, said that ownership of the three of the company's funds had been re-registered.

'It happens to Russian companies all the time, but this is probably the first time it has happened to a foreign company,' the company said.

British citizen Browder has been a major investor in Russia since the 1990s. He has been prevented from entering Russia since November 2005.

Russian government interest is said to be focused on the investment group paying out profits from its Russian companies to entities based in Cyprus.

Further reading:

UK investment head faces Russian tax allegations

Hermitage seeks to recover seized Russian asset