FAS once again revisits bill expanding oversight of transactions involving foreign investors
The Federal Antimonopoly Service has submitted what is now the third version of a bill amending Law No. 57-FZ "On the Procedures for Foreign Investment in Business Entities of Strategic Importance for National Defense and State Security".
04.06.25No official approaches yet by foreign companies looking to return to Russia
So far not a single Western company has officially approached the Ministry of Industry and Trade about returning to the Russian market. This was stated on 2 June by Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov.
03.06.25Authorities mull idea of restricting foreign cloud services in Russia
The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media does not rule out the possibility of gradually blocking foreign cloud services if they have Russian equivalents.
03.06.25State Duma to rework bill denying options for foreign companies' return
Lawmakers in the State Duma intend to amend the bill allowing certain investors who left Russia after the military operation began in February 2022 to be blocked from buying back Russian assets under existing options.
29.05.25State Duma prepares to pass a bill making it hard for foreign companies to return by exercising their options
The State Duma is considering a bill that makes it possible to block foreign investors who left Russia after the military operation began in February 2022 from buying back their Russian assets under existing options. Potential modifications have been prepared in the form of amendments for the second reading of a 2020 bill that was passed on its first reading in May 2022 but has since lain idle.
29.05.25UAE companies offer to buy Russian UniCredit business
Three companies based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have approached the Italian Finance Ministry with a proposal to buy the Russian business of the Italian banking group UniCredit, Reuters news agency $ reports$ , citing a document seen by the agency. The agency says that the little-known Dubai investment companies Asas Capital and Mada Capital have produced a plan to set up a special purpose vehicle and team up with Inweasta, which already operates in Russia, to purchase the Russian UniCredit Bank.
12.05.25Alcohol Producer Amber Talvis Files Claim Against Former Luxembourg Shareholder
Amber Talvis JSC, one of Russia’s largest alcohol producers, has filed a claim in the Arbitrazh Court of the Tambov Region against its former owner, Luxembourg-based Amber Beverage Group Holding. The claim was lodged on 28 April, according to the court’s online case register. The statement of claim has not been published.
12.05.25German EOS Drops Plan to Sell Russian Debt Collection Business to Gazprombank
German EOS Group, which owns one of the largest debt collection companies in Russia, has backed out of a deal to sell its Russian subsidiary to entities affiliated with Gazprombank (GPB), according to RBC, citing two financial market sources. One of the sources said negotiations had been ongoing since at least autumn 2024 but have now ceased.
07.05.25Rosatom files RUB 228 billion claim against Finnish companies Fortum and Outokumpu
Entities of the state corporation Rosatom – JSC TVEL, JSC Rusatom Energy International, and RAOS Projects Oy – have filed a claim in the Moscow Arbitrazh Court against Finnish companies Fortum (an energy holding) and Outokumpu (a steel manufacturer). They are demanding RUB 227.8 billion from their former partners, according to the arbitrazh case database.
07.05.25Study shows rise in foreign business trademark registration activity
In 2024, the number of applications for registration of foreign trademarks in Russia rose by approximately 13% compared to 2023, and by 18% compared to the “pre-sanction” level of 2020, according to materials from VTB Bank published on 6 May. Citing the results of a joint study by VTB and the company “Online Patent”, the bank reported that after a drop in 2022 (to 7,600), the number of trademark applications by foreign companies and individuals to Rospatent increased to 11,800 in 2024.