In a move that extends a now-familiar pattern of economic statecraft, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree transferring the Russian operations of Nestle, Auchan, Leroy Merlin, and FM Logistic to a newly formed state entity — a gesture Moscow frames as symmetrical justice against nations it considers adversaries. The action, affecting tens of thousands of workers and billions in corporate assets, reflects how the war in Ukraine has reshaped the boundaries between commerce and sovereignty. What began as a corporate exodus after 2022 has become, for those who stayed or could not leave, a slow
Russia seizes Nestle, French retailers' assets in retaliation for Ukraine support
Approximately 7,000 Nestle employees and over 33,000 Auchan employees in Russia face uncertain employment status following asset seizures.