Kremlin Uses ‘Temporary Administration’ to Tighten Grip on Western Investments

Moscow has placed the assets of 16 major foreign companies under state control by presidential decree, escalating its economic confrontation with the West.

The assets are valued in the billions. The move brings significant foreign investments in Russia under an arrangement described as “temporary administration,” limiting their owners’ control.

The measure comes in retaliation for the freezing of Russian assets, linking the fate of foreign corporate holdings in Russia to the wider dispute over financial restrictions.

The distinction between temporary administration and outright ownership leaves a key question unresolved: when, and under what conditions, the companies might regain control of their assets.

For Western investors, the decree underscores how exposure to Russia can become leverage in Moscow’s confrontation with the West.