Putin Places U.S. Packaging Maker's Russian Plant Under State Control

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Monday placing Aptar Vladimir, the Russian subsidiary of Illinois-based packaging manufacturer AptarGroup, under temporary government control. The company, previously owned by Aptar Europe Holding, has been transferred to H&N (Health & Nutrition) management, according to the decree.

H&N had earlier taken over the Russian assets of French dairy company Danone, which the Kremlin seized under a similar order in 2023.

Aptar is at least the fifth major Western company targeted by the Kremlin in under a week. Last Thursday, Putin placed the Russian operations of French supermarket chain Auchan, Swiss food company Nestlé, home improvement retailer Lemana PRO (formerly Leroy Merlin), and French logistics firms FM Logistics and Bati Logistics under the control of L.E.V. Management, a little-known Russian company. Newspaper Kommersant estimated the value of those previously seized assets at at least 600 billion rubles, or roughly $7.14 billion.

Russia has defended these seizures as retaliation for what it calls "unfriendly" actions by Western countries, including sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine.

Monday's decree follows U.S. President Donald Trump signing a broad sanctions bill into law that allows him to impose punitive tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas. It remains unclear whether the seizure of Aptar Vladimir was connected to that legislation.

Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has seized the assets of at least 30 foreign companies, including Carlsberg, Fortum, Uniper, Ariston, Bosch and AB. The Kyiv School of Economics Institute estimates the pre-takeover value of seized foreign assets at $74 billion, with total losses to foreign companies — through write-offs, court rulings and exit taxes — reaching $170 billion. In August, Putin also signed an order allowing the government to take control of strategically important facilities whose owners fail to protect them from Ukrainian attacks or repair strike damage quickly.