On the Russian side of the conflict, Nestlé says it has followed through on the measures it announced after the war broke out in 2022, while maintaining full compliance with international sanctions. The situation shifted last week when Nestlé's Russian entities were placed under temporary external administration by presidential decree, following a broader Kremlin push to take control of assets belonging to companies from countries it deems "unfriendly." The decree transferred Nestlé Russia and Nestlé Kuban — including six factories — to the temporary management of LEV Management, a Moscow-based company, though ownership of the subsidiaries formally remains with Nestlé.
Despite losing operational control, Nestlé says its priority remains ensuring the continued production of everyday food products for Russian consumers and safeguarding the wellbeing of its employees there, and it expects the business's assets and workforce to keep being managed with those priorities in mind.
The company has stressed that any statements issued on behalf of its Russian entities going forward reflect the position of the temporary administration, not Nestlé itself. Its own position remains unchanged from its press release of 18 September 2026, in which it said it was "taking note" of the decree and assessing its options, while committing to protect its rights and ensure business continuity for the sake of all stakeholders — particularly its employees.
The move follows a pattern: since 2023, Russia has used a similar mechanism against other Western firms, including the local operations of Danone and Carlsberg.
