Confiscation, appropriation, nationalisation; this book digs deeply into Nationalization in Modern Russia: Economic and Political ConsequencesSince 2022, Russia has seen a resurgence of nationalization policies, driven by internal political interests, economic sanctions, and the need to mobilize resources for defence and social development. Historically, Russia has led large-scale nationalization efforts, with parallels to post-revolutionary policies of the Soviet era. However, today's circumstances involve a combination of retaliatory measures against foreign sanctions and efforts to consolidate control over key industries. Key drivers include:• Retaliation against Western asset freezes.• Political influences, favouring business groups close to authorities.
Recent practices involve forced sales of foreign-owned assets. The hundreds of cases of expropriation of foreign businesses happened in 2022-2025, including Shell (oil E&P projects in Russia), Societe Generale Bank (Russia), Raven Russia (the largest warehouses property group in Russia), Carlsberg (the largest beer producer in Russia), Danone (the largest milk products business in Russia) and other large Western companies in Russia. The number of expropriations and asset freezes without is growing, usually without clear legal grounds. The number of cases of state expropriation of businesses from Russian citizens is also growing if these citizens also hold passports of "unfriendly countries" or are residents of such countries. Large airports, chemical and metallurgical companies are examples of the nationalization of businesses owned by Russians living abroad. This study explores:• The motivations behind Russia's modern nationalization wave.• Scenarios for economic consequences and risks of expanded asset seizures.• Comparative historical examples and international precedents.• Strategies for businesses to protect assets in Russia.
By examining both historical parallels and current trends, this work offers unique insights into how nationalization can reshape Russia's economy and affect global business relations in the years ahead.
