Putin ordered Danone and Carlsberg seized after Kremlin-friendly businessmen expressed interest, per the FT.A Chechen leader and a businessman close to Putin have taken over the companies' assets in Russia.
Russia seizing the local operations of Danone and Carlsberg was not the first time the country took control of Western firms.
Managers from Rosneft, a state energy company headed by Putin ally Igor Sechin, took over both energy companies.
Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported on Thursday, Russian businessmen bought the assets of 110 Western companies "that have fully or partially left Russia" at bargain-bin prices.
Danone said in a Sunday statement it was "preparing to take all necessary measures to protect its rights as shareholder."
Persons:
Putin, Vladimir Putin, Moscow, Yakub Zakriev, Ramzan Kadyrov —, Taimuraz, Igor Sechin, Ekaterina Kurbangaleeva, Kurbangaleeva, Hassan Malik, Loomis Sayles, Danone, Carlsberg
Organizations:
Danone, Carlsberg, Kremlin, Observers, Service, Financial Times, Vedomosti, Rosneft, Analysts, Russia's, Independent Russian, Novaya Gazeta, Carnegie Endowment, International, Boston
Locations:
Russia, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Moscow, Ukraine