Unauthorized military funding
The 1 billion ruble donation, which equals 11.1 million euros or $12.4 million, went to the "People’s Front. All for Victory!" fund to purchase equipment for soldiers on the front lines. Metro AG announced on Oct 23 that its Russian subsidiary made this donation without company approval. The decision by Metro Russia to donate to the Russian organization "All-Russia People’s Front" was neither coordinated with Metro AG nor authorized or approved by Metro AG. Since Metro Russia was placed under forced temporary administration as of September 28, Metro AG no longer has operational control over Metro Russia and has no influence over its operational decisions. I find the loss of control over 9,000 employees and 91 wholesale stores completely unacceptable. This wholesale food retailer first entered the Russian market in 2001 and specializes in food wholesale and food distribution to restaurants and hotels. The Russian-controlled Metro transferred the money to the fund following the Sept 28 takeover.
Forced donations from foreign firms
Moscow seizes Russian subsidiaries of Western companies throughout the war. On Sept 17, Putin signed a decree to confiscate assets of Nestle and Auchan, as well as Bati Logistics, FM Logistics, and Le Monlid LLC. Deutsche Welle reports that other foreign companies taken over by the Kremlin in Russia have used their assets to donate to the "People’s Front" fund. In 2026, the fund received money from several international companies after the Russian government placed them under control. The Russian government placed these companies under management before they made their donations.
| Company | Country | Donation Amount (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Can-Pack | Poland | 1.5 billion rubles |
| Akzo Nobel | Netherlands | 1 billion rubles |
| Rockwool | Denmark | 600 million rubles |
The 1 billion ruble donation from Metro Russia follows a trend of large transfers from other European entities. The fund received 1.5 billion rubles from Poland’s Can-Pack, 1 billion rubles from the Dutch firm Akzo Nobel, and 600 million rubles from Denmark’s Rockwool after all companies were placed under Russian control. These companies transferred the money after the Kremlin placed them under administration. Metro AG first entered the Russian market in 2001 and specializes in food wholesale and food distribution to restaurants and hotels. The Russian subsidiary’s transfer of 1 billion rubles to the "People’s Front. All for Victory!" fund occurred just weeks after the Kremlin took control.
