Putin allowed his friends to privatize Sheremetyevo, Russia's largest airport
Putin signed a decree removing JSC “Sheremetyevo International Airport” from the list of strategic enterprises and allowing for the privatization of the state’s stake (approximately 30%). These shares will most likely be purchased by oligarchs close to the Russian dictator who already own shares in the company.
Currently, the controlling stake (about 66%) is held by “Sheremetyevo Holding,” a structure linked to Russian oligarchs Arkady Rotenberg, Alexander Ponomarenko, and Alexander Skorobogatko.
At the same time, the state plans to retain influence over the airport’s management through a “golden share” mechanism, which grants the right to block key decisions.
The document stipulates that the airport’s core business must be preserved, conditions for its modernization must be ensured, and the sale of shares to foreign citizens or companies controlled by them is prohibited.
In 2025, Russia significantly accelerated the nationalization of private businesses, seizing assets worth over 3 trillion rubles—4.5 times more than in the previous year. The total value of property that has been transferred to state ownership since 2022 has already reached 6.5 trillion rubles. The main targets are strategic enterprises, seaports, and mining companies, which, after confiscation, are quickly resold to investors loyal to the Kremlin.
Earlier, Russia nationalized a company involved in the development of the game “World of Tanks.”
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office filed a lawsuit seeking to transfer to the state a number of assets linked to Konstantin Strukov, the main owner of the company “Yuzhuralzoloto.” He is among the top 100 richest Russians.
As a reminder, Yurevich’s “Makfa,” the largest pasta manufacturer, has come under the control of a “pocket bank” owned by the son of Patrushev, one of Putin’s closest allies.
