{
  "id": 14932803,
  "title": "Putin seizes five more European firms, continuing Russia's hostile asset crackdown",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/putin-seizes-five-more-european-firms-continuing-russias-hostile-14932803",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-16T10:18:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews Business",
    "slug": "euronews-business",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/16/putin-seizes-five-more-european-firms-continuing-russias-hostile-asset-crackdown"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree targeting five additional European firms, extending Russia's hostile asset crackdown. The companies, whose combined annual revenue tops 50 billion roubles (€532 million), include French flooring maker Tarkett and entities like Kappa Rus, Ontex RU, Eviosys Packaging Kuban, and Menshen Packaging CIS. Their assets have been placed under interim control of Centre Capital, a management company registered in February 2026. Centre Capital's CEO, Marat Mirkhaydarov, previously headed Zabaykalsky regional governor's administration until stepping down in 2025 due to an injury from Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. The decree follows a series of similar actions in September, where Putin seized assets of Nestlé, Metro, Auchan, and Leroy Merlin under temporary administration. Western governments and legal experts deem the latest move unlawful expropriation, which companies can seek compensation for through international arbitration under bilateral investment treaties. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterized the targeted companies as belonging to \"unfriendly countries,\" a term used by Moscow to label all EU member states, the US, the UK, and other Western nations that imposed sanctions after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.",
  "summary": "The decree covers a flooring manufacturer, a paper packaging firm, a hygiene products maker, and two metal- and plastic-packaging companies, all of which continued operating in Russia after the all-out invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
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        "title": "Zelensky rallies EU support as Trump says Ukraine leader 'more difficult to deal with than Putin'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/zelensky-rallies-eu-support-as-trump-says-ukraine-leader-more",
        "published": "2026-10-16T08:47:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "'It's not about fuel, it's a signal to Putin': Ex-Naftogaz chief explains Trump's diesel deal with Russia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/its-not-about-fuel-its-a-signal-to-putin-ex-naftogaz-chief-explains",
        "published": "2026-10-16T08:57:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "European leaders back Zelensky as Ukraine-US ties fray over Trump’s Russia sanctions lift",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/european-leaders-back-zelensky-as-ukraine-us-ties-fray-over-trumps",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:14:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Putin seizes five more European firms, continuing Russia's hostile asset crackdown",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/putin-seizes-five-more-european-firms-continuing-russias-hostile",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:18:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "Trump calls Ukraine’s renewed refinery strikes “a disgrace” after Russia’s 39-missile strike on its energy sites",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/trump-calls-ukraines-renewed-refinery-strikes-a-disgrace-after",
        "published": "2026-10-16T11:09:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "Ukraine in talks with EU to create separate track for dialogue with Russia – Zelenskyy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/ukraine-in-talks-with-eu-to-create-separate-track-for-dialogue-with",
        "published": "2026-10-16T12:31:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}