Russia took control of the Russian assets of the German network Metro AG

The temporary management of the assets of the German chain Matro AG was transferred to UK Torg Rus SA, and Putin's decree on this matter was published on the official website where the Russian authorities publish legal acts.

"Transfer (...) 100 percent of the shares in the share capital of the limited liability company Metro Warehouse Noginsk, belonging to METRO Cash & Carry Russia B.V., to the joint-stock company UK Torg RUS," it was written in the document. The decree emphasizes that it enters into force on the day of its official publication.

Reuters recalled that UK Torg RUS was established on September 8 this year. Citing Russian business registers, the agency wrote that its sole owner is Johannes Tolay, general director of the Russian branch of Metro.

After the meeting of Wadephul and Lavrov

The decree did not specify the reason for transferring control over Metro AG's Russian assets. The decision was made after a meeting of the foreign ministers of Germany and Russia, Johannes Wadephul and Sergei Lavrov, which took place over the weekend on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York. The conversation was supposed to concern the war in Ukraine, and Lavrov was said to have been dissatisfied with the position presented by the head of German diplomacy.

Reuters also recalled that at the beginning of September, the head of the German Interior Ministry, Alexander Dobrindt, stated that Russia was responsible for the August attempt at a drone attack on the Leipzig airport. In response, Berlin decided to close the Russian House in Berlin and the Consulate General of Russia in Bonn. As part of the retaliation, Moscow banned the activities of the Goethe Institute in Russia and closed the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg.

They did not withdraw from Russia after the February 2022 attack.

Metro has been present on the Russian market since 2001. The company did not withdraw from Russia after that country's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. It currently has 91 wholesale stores in Russia, which employ a total of approximately 9,000 people. people.

In a press release, the Russian branch of the German company said that it "functions normally after the introduction of interim management" and "operational processes remain unchanged."

In September, Russia took control of the Russian assets of the Swiss food giant Nestle and the French retail chain Auchan. In both cases, these decisions were justified by "hostile actions by unfriendly countries."