Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued an ultimatum to private companies: shoot down Ukrainian drones targeting critical infrastructure or face asset seizure.
Putin stated that the state can assume temporary control of such sites if private owners neglect their protection. This warning comes amid increasing economic pressure and public frustration over Ukraine's intensified drone campaign, which has targeted Russian ports and oil refineries in an effort to disrupt the economy. The attacks have caused significant disruption to these sectors.
Companies in the energy, industrial, communications, and transport and logistics sectors have all received this warning. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on Tuesday that "business owners do not pay enough attention to taking measures to ensure safety, anti-drone safety." He added that "we must take measures, we must ensure our own safety" in the face of continued threats.
Recent weeks have seen a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes targeting e-commerce facilities. Over the past four days, six facilities operated by Ozon were targeted, causing the company's shares to plummet by nearly 30 percent on Monday. Additionally, 20 e-commerce sites run by Wildberries have been hit in previous strikes. A satellite image shows smoke rising from an Ozon warehouse following one such attack.
Political analyst Abbas Gallyamov, a former speechwriter for Putin, commented on Telegram that business owners now face an additional risk beyond Ukrainian attacks: "After the Ukrainians bomb you, the state may come to you, accuse you of failing to protect your asset from the attack, and seize it." He also questioned the investment climate, noting that refineries hit multiple times may be reluctant to invest in repairs if they face further attacks.
The government has sought to temper fears regarding the extent of these new powers. Putin's first deputy prime minister, Denis Manturov, clarified that the decree does not imply nationalization or a change of ownership. Instead, he said, the powers would allow "the involvement of the state in the management of an enterprise to solve specific security problems." Manturov also indicated that the decree would not be widely used, with "targeted, carefully considered decisions will be made at the highest level."
These developments follow recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. Ukraine's general staff reported on Tuesday that its forces had struck Russia's Afipsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region overnight, igniting a fire. Drones also damaged the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in the Rostov region, halting its operations. Data indicates the Afipsky refinery has been targeted eight times in the past year, and the Novoshakhtinsk site four times.