A Russian court has frozen Mikhail Fridman's stake in Vimpelcom, the mobile phone operator, just as the tycoon's telecoms group faces difficult talks with Deutsche Bank on early repayment of $2bn in bonds pledged with Vimpelcom shares.

The move, which also froze a stake in Vimpelcom owned by Norway's Telenor, could complicate efforts by a syndicate of western creditors led by Deutsche Bank to seize the shares pledged as collateral if the two sides fail to agree.