FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Kremlin has ordered the Russian businesses of Swiss-based food and beverage company Nestle and French retailer Auchan placed in temporary administration, procedure that previously has led to the forced sale of Western businesses to Russian owners at knockdown prices.
The local assets of the two multinationals were put under what the Kremlin says is temporary control by another company under an order issued late Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A 2023 law allows the Kremlin to place businesses from “unfriendly countries” under temporary administration. In the case of French dairy concern Danone and Danish brewer Carlsberg, the businesses placed under administration later wound up sold to new Russian owners.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday the companies in question are “European companies, companies from unfriendly countries” that are “most actively involved in hostilities against our country,” as well as in Ukraine’s strikes “on our civilian economic infrastructure.” “These factors were taken into account, but so were other operational factors,” Peskov said.
He stressed that “at the moment, we’re taking about the introduction of external management. No other decisions have been made so far.”
Nestle, based in Vevey, Switzerland, said that it “takes note” of the decree and “is assessing the situation.”
It said in a statement the company “is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect its rights and ensure continuity of business operations in the interests of all stakeholders, particularly its employees.”
Auchan representatives had no immediate comment.
The decree also affects affiliates of international logistics firm BATI Group, Le Monlid, which operates Russian D.I.Y. chain Lemana Pro, formerly Leroy Merlin, and French logistics group FM Logistic. All the local entities were placed under the management of a company called L.E.V. Management.
Some major Western businesses ceased operating in Russia and wrote off their businesses after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since then the Kremlin has imposed burdensome conditions for disposing of local affiliates, demanding they be sold at a steep discount and subject to exit taxes and government approval. Other companies have scaled back their operations, while others continue to do business as usual.
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to the Head of the Russian Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) Anna Popova at the Kremlin in Moscow, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
FILE - Customers walk after shopping in a store of the French retailer Auchan in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, file)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain coach Luis de la Fuente announced his Nations League squad from Ceuta on Friday in a show of support for the Spanish city in northern Africa that has become the center of a migration crisis.
For his first squad announcement since Spain won the World Cup, De la Fuente revealed his list in a video featuring him in Ceuta accompanied by residents of the Spanish exclave. In late July, over 70,000 people pushed across the border from Morocco, with more than 100 dying in the chaos. Most quickly returned, but a few thousand remain in the city of just over 80,000.
The mass border rush has become the biggest political talking point in Spain since.
De la Fuente did not directly mention the border crossing or its impact, but he did say: “This is Ceuta, this is Spain.” It echoed the rise in sentiment in Spain that Ceuta — a territory that until the mass crossing was mostly an afterthought for most mainland Spaniards — needs to be supported.
Ceuta is one of two Spanish territories on the north African coast along with Melilla. Ceuta has been in Spanish possession since 1580. Christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents and day workers all live there in relative harmony behind a border fence that many migrants from across Africa attempt to cross or swim around for a better life in Europe.
The far-right and conservative opposition parties are calling the migration surge an “invasion” and are hoping they can leverage it in national elections next year and oust the left-wing, pro-legal migration government.
It has also led many in Spain to question the government’s policy of moving closer to Rabat in recent years, all with the backdrop of the two countries preparing to host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal.
Local authorities in Ceuta have visited Brussels to drum up European political support and demand more border security.
The debate had spilled into sports before De la Fuente’s video when earlier this week a business group asked Real Madrid and Elche to have their players wear T-shirts with a message of support for Ceuta that read “We are all from Ceuta” before their La Liga match.
Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté covered up part of the message by rolling the shirts up to their chests. The decision by the three Madrid players earned them both scorn and support in the media and social media.
Mbappé said that by rolling up the shirt he wanted to show “full solidarity and with all the victims” while also supporting “migrants who have lost their lives and those facing harsh conditions.”
Spain opens the Nations League against England at Wembley Stadium on Sept. 26, when its players will wear two stars on their shirts for the first time after winning a second world title.
After visiting London, Spain will host Croatia on Sept. 29 and the Czech Republic on Oct. 3, before visiting Croatia on Oct. 6.
Del la Fuente kept his World Cup squad mostly intact.
Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martínez replaced Barcelona’s Joan García, who is out with a minor knee issue. Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen is in for Marcos Llorente, who retired from international soccer. Fermín López replaced fellow Barcelona midfielder Gavi, while Espanyol striker Roberto Fernández got his first call-up, replacing Borja Iglesias.
Spain squad:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Josep Martínez (Inter Milan)
Defenders: Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Grimaldo (Atletico Madrid), Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid), Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Rodri Hernández (Barcelona), Pedri González (Barcelona), Fermín López (Barcelona), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Álex Baena (Atletico Madrid).
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Paris Saint-Germain), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Víctor Muñoz (Liverpool), Roberto Fernández (Espanyol).
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
FILE - Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente arrives at the stadium before the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, file)
