THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Russia Confiscates $7.6Bln in Assets in Largest Nationalization Yet June 12, 2026 Vadim Moshkovich. Yuri Kochetkov / EPA / TASS Russian authorities have confiscated assets worth 550 billion rubles ($7.59 billion) linked to jailed billionaire Vadim Moshkovich and transferred them to state ownership, the Interior Ministry said Thursday, in what appears to be the largest asset seizure of Russia's recent wave of nationalizations. Moshkovich, 58, founder of major agricultural producer Rusagro and ranked 51st on Forbes Russia's list of the country's wealthiest businessmen, has been held in pre-trial detention since March last year. Former Rusagro Chief Executive Maxim Basov was also arrested in connection with the case. The seizure underscores the scale of the Kremlin's campaign to bring private assets under state control since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a drive that has already transferred businesses worth an estimated 6.5 trillion rubles ($89.7 billion) to government ownership. The Interior Ministry said its investigation into Moshkovich had been completed and that all property seized in the case had been "transferred to state revenue." In May, Moscow's Khamovniki District Co…

Russian billionaires see their empires crumble as Putin seizes assets Vadim Moshkovich switched paths multiple times during the post-Soviet era of wild capitalism, from distributing vodka to flipping apartments. He ultimately made his big bet on commodities, founding Ros Agro, the Russian agricultural firm behind his fortune. Decades in the making, it all came crashing down last month when a Moscow court ordered the seizure of his family’s 49 per cent stake in the company. His crime, prosecutors say, was violating a ban on combining public service with business activities while he served in the upper chamber of Russia’s parliament between 2006 and 2014, and abusing his political position for illegal enrichment. The country’s billionaires are under increasing state pressure, with charges ranging from corruption to accusations of giving non-military support to the enemy and even dual citizenship. Asset seizures are breaking up business empires and redistributing wealth, often transferring it to more loyal business groups. The recent Moshkovich allegations won’t be lost on other members of the elite: five of the top 20 richest Russians in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index have eithe…

A new wave of nationalization How the Russian authorities are ... - Meduza Since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, around 200 companies in Russia have faced the threat of nationalization — and only a few of those targeted have managed to avoid it. In the latest moves, the Moscow Region Arbitration Courtfrozethe assets of billionaire Dmitry Kamenshchik, owner of Domodedovo, one of the country’s largest airports. A few days later, the Moscow Arbitration Courttransferredthe assets of Raven Russia, the nation’s largest warehouse operator, to the state. Meduza examines the arguments prosecutors are using in court to nationalize businesses and breaks down some of the most high-profile cases. Asset:Solikamsk Magnesium Plant (SMZ), one of the world’s oldest and Russia’s largest magnesium producers. Estimated value:Around 10 billion rubles ($100.5 million). Owners:Sergey Kirpichev, Pyotr Kondrashev, Timur Starostin, Igor Pestrikov. Notable detail:In violation of Russia’s Civil Code, company shares were seized even from good-faith investors who had purchased them on the Moscow Exchange. The claim:The plant’s workforce illegally privatized the company in 1992. The Prosecu…

Putin's majordomo turns out to be attorney of notorious crime boss The Audiencia National (the Spanish National Court in Madrid) continues hearing the case of money laundering by Tambovsko-Malyshevskaya organized crime group ( the first part of our courtroom report is available here ). The Insider has already summarized the essence of this criminal case, which features the names of Duma deputy Vladislav Reznik, head of Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of Sberbank's Executive Board Herman Gref, and many other representatives of the Russian political elite. The defendants are charged with investing funds of obscure origins by transferring them from offshore firms to companies registered in Spain, other European countries, and Russia, primarily in the sphere of development and shipbuilding, and thereby participating in organized criminal activities. As The Insider found out, the cornerstone of the underworld structure was a Liechtenstein-based trust owned by Gennady Petrov and run by the very same attorney who was in charge of "Putin's Palace," a luxurious replica of St. Petersburg's Winter Palace that was built at Cape Idokopas near Gelendzhik at the commission …

Putin's elite divides the spoils in Russia: large-scale nationalisation ... OSW Commentary 2025-09-01 Putin’s elite divides the spoils in Russia: large-scale nationalisation and re-privatisation of assets Iwona Wiśniewska Text in PDF 307.79 KB Source: bearfotos | freepik.com The war against Ukraine and sweeping Western sanctions have triggered another major wave of asset redistribution in Russia – one of the largest since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The actual scale of this process is difficult to estimate, as it includes the takeover of assets held by foreign companies (not only those withdrawing from the Russian market), Ukrainian property in the occupied territories, and the nationalisation of Russian enterprises. With profits shrinking, these assets – often handed over for free or sold at artificially low prices – have been used to reward loyalty within Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. Revenue from the partial reprivatisation of seized property has also bolstered the state budget. At the same time, wartime mobilisation – which has strengthened the Kremlin’s grip over processes taking place in the country – together with escalating repression, has suppressed opposition from…

Wealthy Russians see empires crumble as Putin seizes assets Wealthy Russians see empires crumble as Putin seizes assets Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox In 2025, Russia seized 1.1 trillion rubles (S$19 billion) of assets in anti-corruption cases, according to Moscow-based law firm Nektorov, Saveliev & Partners. PHOTO: REUTERS Published Jun 03, 2026, 01:00 PM Updated Jun 03, 2026, 01:36 PM Listen MOSCOW – Vadim Moshkovich switched paths multiple times during the Post-Soviet era of wild capitalism, from distributing vodka to flipping apartments. He ultimately made his big bet on commodities, founding Ros Agro, the Russian agricultural firm behind his fortune. Decades in the making, it all came crashing down in May when a Moscow court ordered the seizure of his family’s 49 per cent stake in the company. His crime, prosecutors say, was violating a ban on combining public service with business activities while he served in the upper chamber of Russia’s Parliament between 2006 and 2014, and abusing his political position for illegal enrichment. The country’s billionaires are under increasing state pressure, with charges ranging from corruption to accusations of …