RSPP's Shokhin: temporary management of firms must not be unfair competition
In short
Alexander Shokhin, who heads Russia's main business lobby RSPP, said the transfer of companies into temporary management must not become one of the methods of unfair competition, and called for transparency in the process. Kommersant reported that Shokhin was appointed on 5 October as the commissioner for the protection of entrepreneurs' rights. A decree signed by President Vladimir Putin in August allows the government to place critical infrastructure facilities under temporary management if their owners do not ensure their safety, including during drone attacks.
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The head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Alexander Shokhin, said that transferring companies into temporary management must not become one of the methods of unfair competition, TASS, RBC and Kommersant reported. “Of course, it is very important that this work on transferring into temporary management should not be part of unfair competition. When, say, some entrepreneurs find ways to manage fairly attractive assets. We would like transparency to be ensured here as well,” Kommersant quoted Shokhin as telling journalists, in a quote it attributed to RBC. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant reported that Shokhin heads the RSPP and that on 5 October he was appointed commissioner for the protection of entrepreneurs' rights. The call for transparency in how temporary management is introduced came from him in that context, according to the newspaper. TASS and RBC carried the same warning about unfair competition without the appointment or the additional quotes. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant reported that in August President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the government to introduce temporary management at critical infrastructure facilities. According to the newspaper, the measure can be taken if the owners of the facilities do not ensure their safety, including during drone attacks. [ 3 ]
The newspaper also reported that, as of 23 September 2026, there was no set of clear criteria that would automatically place a company under temporary management, and that ownership by residents of unfriendly states was named as the main criterion. Kommersant said temporary management should end once safety is ensured or the facility is restored, but that for facilities with different technological features it has not been defined which restoration timelines are considered sufficient. As a result, the newspaper wrote, the boundaries of the mechanism depend not only on the decision to introduce it but also on how the achievement of the goal and the moment of returning the asset are assessed. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The mechanism puts ownership and control of assets, including those held by foreign residents, in play, and the documents indicate the criteria and exit terms are still unsettled. The person warning about the risks is now also the official tasked with protecting entrepreneurs' rights, which gives his stated concerns procedural weight. The documents give no indication of which companies, if any, are currently affected.
Key facts
- RSPP head Alexander Shokhin said transferring companies into temporary management must not become one of the methods of unfair competition. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Shokhin said the process of introducing temporary management must be transparent. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that Shokhin was appointed on 5 October as the commissioner for the protection of entrepreneurs' rights. [ 3 ]
- In August, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the government to introduce temporary management at critical infrastructure facilities if owners do not ensure their safety, including during drone attacks. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that as of 23 September 2026 there was no set of clear criteria that would automatically place a company under temporary management, with ownership by residents of unfriendly states named as the main criterion. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that temporary management should end once safety is ensured or the facility is restored, but that sufficient restoration timelines for facilities with different technological features are not defined. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What criteria determine whether a company is placed under temporary management, and whether any have been adopted since 23 September 2026. Only Kommersant addresses the criteria, reporting that as of 23 September 2026 they were not defined; no other document confirms or updates this.
- Which companies, if any, are currently subject to or being considered for temporary management. No document names a company or a specific case; the discussion is about the mechanism in general.
- The exact circumstances and scope of Shokhin's new role as commissioner for the protection of entrepreneurs' rights. The appointment is reported only by Kommersant, and no document describes the powers attached to the post.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS publishes Shokhin's statement that transferring companies into temporary management should not be a means of unfair competition. [ 1 ]
- RBC reports Shokhin's call to avoid unfair competition when temporary management is introduced. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant publishes the statement with quotes, noting that Shokhin was appointed commissioner for the protection of entrepreneurs' rights on 5 October. [ 3 ]