Kremlin: Control of Western Assets Came in Response to Seizure of Russian Assets

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated today, Wednesday, that Moscow's move to temporarily take control of the assets of the Finnish energy group Fortum and its former German subsidiary Uniper was in retaliation for what he described as the illegal seizure of Russian assets abroad. Peskov stated, "The decision is not about ownership, but about the authority to manage the assets," noting that the action could be expanded to include other assets if necessary. He added, "The decision comes in response to the aggressive actions taken by hostile countries... This step reflects the stance of Western governments towards the foreign assets of Russian companies."