Russian Police General Pledges to Shield Seized Auchan Stores From Drone Strikes
A Russian police general appointed to run the seized Russian assets of Auchan, Nestlé and Lemana PRO has promised uninterrupted store operations and protection from Ukrainian drone attacks. The takeover comes as Ukrainian strikes increasingly hit Russian retail and logistics infrastructure.
Police Major General Andrei Krayushkin, newly appointed head of L.E.V. Management, has pledged to keep Auchan operating as a unified retail chain and to protect its stores and distribution centers, according to an internal letter cited by the RBC news website.
The letter states that purchasing, deliveries, store operations and obligations to customers, suppliers and employees must continue without interruption, describing Auchan's stable operation as directly tied to food security. Until L.E.V. Management is formally registered as the company's new administrator in Russia's corporate registry, Krayushkin has instructed management to keep purchasing and delivering goods, running stores and warehouses, and paying taxes and salaries, while refraining from major transactions, large loans, profit distribution, dividend payouts or the sale of trademarks and other key assets.
Auchan's Russian office confirmed receiving the letter and said it was ready to cooperate with the temporary administrator, adding that its facilities are operating normally. Lemana PRO, formerly known as Leroy Merlin, said it received a similar letter and reported normal operations as well.
Background on the seizure
President Vladimir Putin transferred the Russian assets of Auchan, Nestlé and Lemana PRO to the temporary management of L.E.V. Management on Sept. 17. The company was registered in October 2024 with a charter capital of just 15,000 rubles, and Krayushkin became its CEO on Sept. 10.
The move comes as Ukrainian drone strikes increasingly target Russia's retail logistics network — since mid-July, more than two dozen Wildberries warehouses and four Ozon logistics centers have been hit. In August, Putin signed a decree allowing the state to impose temporary administration on strategically important facilities whose operators fail to adequately protect them or repair damage quickly.
Auchan has operated in Russia for over 20 years, running 230 stores across 100 cities and employing about 30,000 people. Russia has seized the assets of at least 30 foreign companies since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
