Russia places the Russian operations and assets of Nestlé and French-linked companies under temporary administration following a Kremlin order signed by President Vladimir Putin. Multiple outlets report that the move covers Nestlé Russia and the Russian businesses of French retailers Auchan and related firms, with some reporting additional companies including Leroy Merlin’s former Russian unit (Lemana Pro) and FM Logistic.
Outlets describe the action as part of a broader crackdown on Western-linked holdings in Russia. Financial Times frames it as the first such seizure targeting Western-owned assets since 2023, while others emphasize that the procedure often precedes the sale of businesses. Several sources also note that Nestlé is assessing its options and seeking to protect employees and business continuity, while at least one outlet says some companies’ operations continue as normal despite the administration.
There are also differences in detail about the mechanism: Euronews and The Independent describe temporary administration, while Quartz and Mint specify that a decree transfers the entities to a newly created company, referred to as LEV Management, which then manages the assets under the order.
