Opinion: Metro's donation to Russia's war is not an isolated incident

The Russian subsidiary of the German trading group Metro, Metro Russia, has donated one billion rubles, around eleven million euros, to the “Popular Front. Everything for Victory!” fund. transferred. Putin runs the fund. The money goes to off-road vehicles and drone defense for the troops fighting Ukraine.

The German holding company Metro AG says this was not coordinated. There is no longer any control over the Russian subsidiary after Putin placed it under Russian receivership at the end of September. Really?

Metro Russia's management company, UK Torg Rus, was founded on September 8. 20 days before the Russian compulsory administration was issued. The sole owner is Johannes Tholey, long-time boss of Metro Russia. Metro AG writes this itself.

According to sources in the French daily Le Monde, Metro Russia has asked the Kremlin itself for this “temporary administration”. Metro Russia told the Russian business newspaper “Vedomosti” that the move would secure business processes. So no one talks about expropriation. This is how you talk about a deal.