Russia: Putin Takes Control of Activities of Three Western Multinationals

On September 17, 2026, Vladimir Putin signed a decree placing the local operations of Nestlé, Auchan, Leroy Merlin, and FM Logistic under temporary administration in Russia. The management of these companies has been assigned to L.E.V. Management, a Russian firm. While this does not mean that Russia has legally acquired these companies, it could lead to a transfer of assets to Russian owners, as seen in previous cases.