Digest | 6 August – 19 August 2026

Advisor to the President of Russia A. Kobyakov said that foreign businesses could return to Russia only on the basis of pragmatic partnerships, including joint ventures involving technology transfers and concessions. He also noted that European businesses continue to maintain contacts with Russia despite the position of political elites, while sanctions have only increased interest in business dialogue at events held in Russia.

The comments were made in an interview ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), which will take place in Vladivostok on September 1–4. The main theme of the 2026 EEF is “The Far East – Development for the Benefit of People.”

LLC Rockwool filed an RUB 8.6 billion claim with the Moscow Region Arbitration Court against its parent company, Danish insulation manufacturer Rockwool A/S. The company is seeking repayment, including interest, of a RUB 5 billion loan issued in 2020. In 2025, Rockwool sought approval from the Government Commission for the Control of Foreign Investments in Russia to offset the debt against dividend payments, but its request was rejected.

In January 2026, LLC Rockwool was placed under temporary management by JSC Development of Construction Assets (RSA). RSA CEO T. Amirov explained the move by citing the company’s “irresponsible attitude” toward its Russian operations and employees.

As of mid-August, voluntary contributions from businesses to the federal budget reached RUB 383.69 billion — 1.5 times the total recorded for all of 2025. This year, most of the contributions may not be linked to the “exit tax,” as was the case in previous years. A. Shokhin, head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), noted that foreign companies have put requests to sell their Russian assets on hold because of the “fairly strict” exit conditions. However, he said this “cannot save” them from external management if business conditions are artificially restricted.

According to the protocol of the Government Commission’s Subcommittee meeting of October 15, 2024, the minimum discount on asset sales is 60%, while the minimum voluntary contribution is 35% of their market value. The contribution is paid in installments: 25% within the first month after the transaction, 5% after one year, and another 5% within two years.

A. Kutepov, head of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy, drafted a bill that would allow companies with foreign participation that have been placed under the management of the Federal Property Management Agency (Rosimushchestvo) to be included in the register of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the senator, this would give them access to grants and subsidized lending.

At present, such companies retain a formal foreign status because of their previous ownership structure and cannot fully benefit from government support measures. Access to subsidized financing would allow them to maintain their operations and production capacity.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade published a draft government resolution for public consultation, open until September 2, 2026. The proposal would extend the point-based system for assessing production localization to key automotive electronics components. To qualify as Russian products, manufacturers would have to score at least 140 points, with threshold requirements set to increase gradually. From June 1, 2027, embedded software would also have to be registered in the unified register of Russian or EAEU software.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is also considering a point-based system for AI chips. The measure is aimed at limiting the share of foreign-made products, including at critical information infrastructure (CII) facilities, and supporting domestic production.