Moscow sharply accelerates privatized business nationalization
In 2025, Russia dramatically increased the nationalization of private businesses, seizing assets worth over 3 trillion rubles — 4.5 times higher than the previous year. Since 2022, the total value of property transferred to state ownership has reached 6.5 trillion rubles. Strategic enterprises, seaports, and mining companies are the main targets, and after confiscation, these assets are quickly resold to Kremlin-loyal investors.
This was reported by the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service.
The primary legal mechanism for these seizures has been the mass review of privatization deals through anti-corruption lawsuits. This was enabled by a Constitutional Court ruling in October 2024, which abolished the statute of limitations for such cases. Even owners with foreign backgrounds or Russians with residency abroad have been at risk. Court proceedings are expedited: less than 1% of cases are decided in favor of former owners, and recent rules allow confiscation of shares bought on open markets.
Nationalization acts as a tool to plug budget gaps amid deficits and high military spending. Sales of confiscated property have already brought the budget about 30 billion rubles in just nine months of 2025. Despite economic volatility and low GDP growth, authorities do not plan to stop; experts predict further expansion of targeted assets as long as profitable, investment-attractive private property remains in the country.
