Metro AG Loses Operational Control of Russian Unit After Putin Decree

German wholesaler Metro AG said on Sept. 29, 2026, that it lost operational control of its Russian subsidiary after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree placing the business under temporary administration managed by Torg RUS. The decree, posted on a Russian government website, gave no reason. Metro said it still formally owns the unit but is analyzing the consequences. Torg RUS is owned by Johannes Tholey, CEO of Metro Russia. Metro's Russian sales rose 10.3% in euros to €2.14 billion in the first nine months of fiscal 2025/26, about 8.7% of group revenue. The company operated 91 wholesale stores and employed roughly 9,000 people in Russia, entering the market in 2001. The move follows similar actions against Nestlé and Auchan, and comes amid deepening Berlin-Moscow tensions over an alleged drone attack in Leipzig.