SelfSanctions project

79th issue of the KSE Institute regular digest on impact of foreign companies' exit on RF economy with focus on companies exited from Russia in 4Q2025 and since the beginning of the war: kse.ua/about-the-scho…

⚠️#BREAKING: Russia denies attacking Europe. Europe checks map. 👀 Europe disagrees.👎

@SelfSanctions Українська версія дайджесту доступна за посиланням: kse.ua/ua/about-the-s…

80 companies left the Russian market in 2025. The practice of forced seizures of foreign businesses in Russia is intensifying — KSE Institute analysis kse.ua/about-the-scho…

🚨🇺🇸🇷🇺 BREAKING: U.S. SPECIAL FORCES MOVING TO SEIZE RUSSIAN-FLAGGED TANKER Russian state media reports U.S. Special Forces are attempting to board the Marinera, a Russian-flagged, Iranian-linked crude oil tanker, in the North Atlantic. The ship, formerly Bella 1, is part of the shadow fleet used to transport sanctioned oil from Iran, Venezuela, and Russia. It recently reflagged under Russia with a home port in Sochi, and is currently sailing empty with no cargo aboard. The crew reportedly painted a crude Russian flag onto the hull before the ship suddenly turned toward Ireland. These vessels rely on tactics like AIS spoofing, flag-hopping, and opaque ownership to dodge Western enforcement. The Marinera is a decades-old VLCC and has a long record of violating U.S. sanctions with previous illegal crude shipments. Source: RT, maritime data

A Holiday Ask from KSE Institute leave-russia.org/christmas-holi…

@politicoEurope’s @NicholasVinocur reports on legal opinions by a group of international experts — including Tetyana Nesterchuk and Anna Vlasyuk of @KSE_Institute — prepared together with @LiberaleModerne and @antonm_law, @P_O_Heinemann, Philip Zelikow, and @jziskina, explaining why the 🇪🇺 EU reparations loan does not create new material legal risks. And here is why 🧵 politico.eu/article/legal-…

1/5 New @Telegraph analysis by @MelissaLawford and @hansvan333, which cites @ben_hilgenstock from @KSE_Institute, shows how Trump’s latest sanctions on Rosneft & Lukoil are hitting Russia's war efforts. telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/…

6/6 The FT piece highlights the core risk: staying in Russia does not reduce exposure — it increases it. Expropriation, frozen dividends and legal uncertainty are already a reality Explore the data behind the story via @KSE_Institute and @LeaveRussiaOrg: bit.ly/40kqfqm

5/6 Despite this, 2,315 foreign companies remain active in Russia, per @KSE_Institute data — even as 1,903 have exited or scaled back since February 2022. Last year alone, foreign firms earned $19.5bn in profits in Russia that they often cannot repatriate.

4/6 As @Nataliia_Shapo, President of @KSE_Institute, explains in the FT, the assets, investment and dividends of companies that remain in Russia are basically under Russia’s control, and companies are required to give away their rights over the investment.

3/6 According to @KSE_Institute research, Western companies still held at least $127bn in assets in Russia as of 2024. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Kremlin has already seized or frozen assets of 32 foreign firms, causing losses of at least $57bn.

2/6 EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to weigh the use of frozen Russian assets as part of a €90bn financing package for Ukraine, amid warnings from Moscow of possible retaliation.

1/6 New @FT reporting by @maxseddon, @lauramdubois and @HenryJFoy looks at EU concerns over Russia’s threats to retaliate over frozen assets — with Belgium, Italy and Austria most exposed. The piece cites @Nataliia_Shapo, President of @KSE_Institute, and data from our @LeaveRussiaOrg project. ft.com/content/616d7c…

Putin’s retaliation threat over frozen assets rattles EU capitals - FT ft.com/content/616d7c…

US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

President Trump has been clear that the war must end immediately. As long as Putin continues the senseless killings, the Kremlin’s puppet, Gunvor, will never get a license to operate and profit.

7/7 Doing business in Russia fuels missiles and drones targeting civilians. Check which companies are still there ⤵️ 📊 Database: bit.ly/40kqfqm 📲 App (iOS): bit.ly/422VHdS

6/7 Updated figures from KSE Institute: 📉 526 companies (12.5%) — fully exited ⚙️ 1,377 (32.6%) — in process of leaving or downsizing 💼 2,315 (54.9%) — still operating in Russia, fueling its war economy.