Russia has placed the local businesses of Nestlé, Auchan and other Western-linked companies under temporary administration. Nestlé is weighing its options, while Auchan and Lemana Pro say their Russian operations continue as normal.
A little-known Russian company called L.E.V. Management has been handed temporary control of 16 businesses linked to Nestlé, Auchan and several other Western groups.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday placing the management of stakes and shares in the 16 Russian companies under the control of the firm.
This action strengthens Moscow’s grip on Western-owned assets amid ongoing tensions with Western nations over sanctions triggered by the invasion of Ukraine.
“Of course, one of the factors taken into account when making this decision was that these are unfriendly countries, which are currently most actively involved in military operations against our country,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference on Friday.
The affected businesses include Nestlé Russia, Nestlé Kuban, the Russian subsidiary of French retailer Auchan, two local FM Logistic entities, and Le Monlid, which manages the former Leroy Merlin DIY stores under the Lemana Pro brand.
According to Russian legal experts cited by the business newspaper Kommersant, this measure does not constitute a formal confiscation or a change in ownership. However, similar instances of temporary administration have previously served as a precursor to the sale or transfer of Western assets to Russian entities.
L.E.V. Management was established in Moscow in October 2024, and its ownership remains undisclosed. Data from Kommersant indicates that the firm reported no active business operations in its 2025 financial filings.
Andrei Krayushkin was named general director on maintains six factories and roughly 7,000 employees within Russia. The company has halted most non-essential imports, exports, and advertising, while continuing to provide products deemed essential.
Jean-Philippe Bertschy of the Swiss assets control over Russia seizes
