SWIPED

Russia Hands Seized Western Assets to Putin Ally’s Nephew

Yakub Zakriev, who is also Chechnya’s deputy prime minister, is now in control.

The nephew of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov—a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin—has been made the new head of Danone’s Russia business after the company’s local operation was placed under government management. Putin signed a decree Sunday seizing the assets of the French food business as well as those of Danish brewer Carlsberg. Now Yakub Zakriev, who is also Chechnya’s deputy prime minister and agriculture minister, has been handed Danone’s Russia business, Russian state media reported Tuesday. Baltika Breweries, Carlsberg’s Russian business, said Taimuraz Bolloev is its new manager. Bolloev founded Baltika in 1990 and resigned in 2004 before it was acquired by Carlsberg four years later. Bolloev is now also the chairman of BTK Group, a clothing company which supplies the Russian army.