COPENHAGEN, March 8 (Reuters) - A senior member of Russia's ruling party has proposed nationalising foreign-owned factories that shut down operations in the country over what the Kremlin calls a special military operation in Ukraine.
Several foreign companies including Ford (F.N) and Nike have announced temporary shutdowns of stores and factories in Russia in order to put pressure on the Kremlin to stop its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and as their supply chains are disrupted. read more
In a statement published on Monday evening on the United Russia website, the secretary of the ruling party's general council Andrei Turchak said shutting operations was a "war" against the citizens of Russia. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
The statement mentioned Finnish privately owned food companies Fazer, Valio and Paulig as the latest to announce closures in Russia.
"United Russia proposes nationalising production plants of the companies that announce their exit and the closure of production in Russia during the special operation in Ukraine," Turchak said.
"This is an extreme measure, but we will not tolerate being stabbed in the back, and we will protect our people. This is a real war, not against Russia as a whole, but against our citizens," he said.
"We will take tough retaliatory measures, acting in accordance with the laws of war," Turchak said.
Paulig Chief Executive told Reuters in an email this would not change its plans to withdraw from Russia. Fazer and Valio did not wish to comment when contacted by Reuters.
Fazer, which makes chocolate, bread and pastries, has three bakeries in St Petersburg and one in Moscow, employing around 2,300 people.
Valio has a cheese factory and employs 400 people in Russia, and Paulig has a coffee roastery and employs 200 people in the country.
Is one-sixth the size of United Russia. Putin has a supermajority. If he resigned, they'd just pick their own successor.
The Communists being the next-largest party put them on par with American Libertarians in terms of popular support. And given their current leadership, comparable in temperment.
These are not your grandad's Marxist-Leninists.
I know.
:sicko-wistful:
Agree, but i can't see United Russia having anywhere near as much clout without Putin. They may still rule, but with a vastly reduced public base.
Don't fall victim to the Great Man Theory. Just because Putin has surrounded himself with Yes-Men doesn't mean he's the only power broker in Russia.
Guys like Alexander Beglov, Artur Muravyov, and Aleksandr Matovnikov all hold their own bases of power and serve their own particular constituencies. They've been happy enough to let Putin hog the limelight, but someone would inevitably step up if he fell.
Don't disagree, but hard to see them not all making a play for power and shitting the bed.