FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian assets of German retailer Metro AG placed under temporary administration. The step comes against a background of tension between Germany and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
The order, posted Monday on the government website, did not state a reason. The step follows similar steps against the Russia businesses of global food company Nestle and French retailer Auchan under a 2023 decree aimed at businesses associated with “unfriendly countries.”
Temporary administration has led to local owners taking over the Russia businesses of French dairy concern Danone and Danish brewer Carlsberg at knockdown prices.
Metro said in a statement that although Metro Russia formally belonged to it, it had no further operational control over the business. The Kremlin order placed the assets under the administration of UK Torg Rus, described in the Metro news release as “a company of Metro Russia CEO Johannes Tholey.”
Metro said it had been reducing its connections to the Russia business since the 2022 Russian invasion. It said that “further consequences of the decree on Metro AG are currently being analyzed.” Metro has 9,000 employees in Russia.
Germany has concluded that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at the Leipzig airport and closed a Russian consulate in Bonn and a Russian cultural center in Berlin. Russia in response closed the German consulate in St. Petersburg. Moscow denied the allegations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his German counterpart Johann Wadephul on Saturday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly but was dismissive afterward, saying that Wadephul "simply reiterated his official public position condemning Russia... you can judge for yourself whether that counts as dialogue or not.”
“The Russians are raising the pressure on Germany in their hybrid war,” said Stefan Meister, a Russia expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations. “It's being made clear that the Germans could lose even more companies and assets in Russia, in order to raise pressure on the German government from the German business community."
Meister said that Russia sees Germany “as a key adversary since it is Ukraine's most important single supporter.”
Some major Western businesses ceased operating in Russia and wrote off their businesses after 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.
FILE - The logo of Metro Cash&Carry is photographed in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday March 30, 2016. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP, file)
Joking with his wife before the biggest single-day race in cycling, Brandon McNulty said it would take a miracle to become world champion.
Well, “I guess, today, miracles happen,” McNulty said after becoming the first American to win the men’s road race at the world champonships since Lance Armstrong did it in 1993.
On Monday, McNulty — known mainly as a support rider to cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar on his trade team, UAE Team Emirates — was still marveling about how he pulled off a solo breakaway with 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) to go in Sunday’s grueling race in Montreal — which lasted more than six hours.
McNulty crossed the finish line 13 seconds ahead of Australia’s Michael Matthews, with the Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel in third.
“I’m not sure yesterday will ever sink in and I’m still at a loss for words,” McNulty said in an Instagram post.
“Thank you to these seven guys who showed up yesterday with 100% belief that we could win this bike race with one of us,” he added, in appreciation of his American teammates. “I know none of us will ever forget this day.”
The only other American men to claim the title were Greg LeMond in 1983 and 1989 and Armstrong in 1993.
Armstrong retains his 1993 title despite being stripped of his seven Tour de France victories because he won it before the period in which he was found guilty of doping.
“Hands down the most exciting race of the year and a deserved winner,” Armstrong wrote on X. “A thing of beauty.”
The 28-year-old McNulty, who is from Phoenix, Arizona, won the junior time trial at worlds 10 years ago and has claimed stage wins at both the Giro d’Italia and Spanish Vuelta.
Still, he wasn’t considered a favorite to take the rainbow jersey.
But with two-time defending champion Pogacar out injured, the other contenders struggled with tactics and McNulty used his time trialing expertise to hold off the chasers.
“The King of Montreal,” Pogacar said on Instagram, also referring to a race in Montreal last year where McNulty and Pogacar finished 1-2. “Proud of you.”
Two other Americans finished in the top 10 on Sunday: former junior world champion Quinn Simmons in fourth and Matteo Jorgenson in eighth.
The title comes after McNulty was the subject of a road rage incident before a time trial at this year's Tour de France.
McNulty was confronted by an angry motorist who overtook him on his way to the start of the 16th stage. Mauro Gianetti, the chief executive of the UAE team, said the driver of the car was furious and that he stopped his vehicle after overtaking McNulty, who then collided with the vehicle.
Two days later, McNulty abandoned the Tour.
AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed.
See AP’s full sports coverage here
Brandon McNulty, of the United States, centre, Michael Matthews, of Australia, right, and Mathieu van der Poel, of the Netherlands, pose for a selfie following the men's elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships cycling event in Montreal on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Brandon McNulty, of the United States, second right, races in the peloton during the men's elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships cycling event in Montreal, on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Brandon McNulty, of the United States, celebrates after winning the men's elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships cycling event in Montreal on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Brandon McNulty, of the United States, celebrates winning the men's elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships cycling event in Montreal, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Brandon McNulty, of the United States, is hugged by his wife Summer after winning the men's elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships cycling event in Montreal on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
