Putin tells Russian companies: Shoot down Ukrainian drones or we’ll seize your assets
Vladimir Putin has warned Russian companies that the state can temporarily seize control of their critical infrastructure if they fail to defend it against Ukrainian drone strikes. The threat, made on Monday, targets private firms in the energy, industrial, communications and transport and logistics sectors, and comes as Ukraine intensifies attacks on Russian ports, oil refineries and e-commerce facilities in an effort to damage the Russian economy ahead of winter.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said many business owners were failing to take adequate anti-drone precautions, while first deputy prime minister Denis Manturov sought to downplay the move, insisting it would not amount to nationalisation but rather targeted state involvement in managing security issues. Over four days, Ukraine struck six Ozon e-commerce sites, wiping nearly 30 per cent off the firm's share price, while 20 Wildberries facilities have also been hit previously. Ukraine's general staff also reported fresh strikes on the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar (its eighth hit in a year) and the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Rostov (its fourth), with analysts suggesting repeated attacks are making owners reluctant to invest in repairs.
- Putin threatens to seize Russian firms' assets over inadequate drone defences
- Move follows Ukrainian strikes on refineries, ports and e-commerce sites
- Kremlin insists it isn't nationalisation, just targeted security intervention
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Vladimir Putin has told Russian companies that the state can temporarily take control of infrastructure firms that fail to protect themselves from Ukrainian drone attacks. The warning applies to private businesses in energy, industry, communications and transport, and follows a rise in Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, ports and logistics sites.
Ukraine has been targeting these facilities as part of a wider campaign to weaken the Russian economy, particularly ahead of the winter months when energy supply matters most. Refineries and warehouses belonging to firms such as Ozon and Wildberries, both major Russian online retailers, have been hit repeatedly, causing financial damage and raising questions about how much companies can realistically do to defend themselves.
The dispute over what Putin's warning actually means is part of the story too. Kremlin officials have suggested businesses simply are not doing enough to protect their sites, while others have played down the idea that firms could be nationalised, framing it instead as the state stepping in to help with security.