Putin’s New Decree Makes Russian Businesses Pay for Failing to Stop Ukrainian Drones
Putin’s new decree shifts more wartime responsibility onto Russian businesses, allowing the state to take control if owners fail to protect or quickly restore critical infrastructure.
On August 24, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced Decree No. 604, which allows the Russian government to take control of a business owner's assets if they fail to adequately protect their facilities from Ukrainian drones or if repairs are deemed too slow. The decree targets critical infrastructure such as refineries, warehouses, and factories.
While the Kremlin claims the measure incentivizes companies to invest in anti-drone security, it leaves the definition of sufficient protection and repair time to the discretion of the government. The decree goes beyond the specific facility affected, allowing temporary management to extend to the owner's property, company stakes, and securities.
Rosimushchestvo, a state-controlled company, typically handles such situations, but the Kremlin can appoint another entity, potentially a competitor. First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov claimed the decree does not equate to nationalization. However, local residents are wary of measures deemed "temporary" but potentially permanent.
The decree echoes the Soviet principle of state control of strategic industries, though it does not go as far as formal nationalization. The measure comes as Ukrainian deep strikes increasingly target Russia's economic heartland, and the Kremlin struggles to protect refineries, warehouses, and logistics hubs from Ukrainian drones.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
