Nestle weighing all options after Kremlin moves to seize Russia business
Nestle said it was weighing all options to protect its rights after the Kremlin's decision to take control of the Swiss food maker's Russian business.
The maker of Nescafe coffee and KitKat chocolates said it took note of the decision and was assessing the situation.
"Nestle is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect its rights and ensure continuity of business operations in the interests of all stakeholders, particularly its employees," the company said in a statement.
It declined to comment further on what action it was considering.
Nestle shares were down 2.4 percent at 1005 GMT.
Kremlin says action on Nestle and Auchan assets was taken because they're from 'unfriendly' states
The Kremlin said on Friday that one of the factors behind the decision to place the Russian assets of Nestle and Auchan under temporary administration was that the companies are from "unfriendly" countries.
"Of course, one of the factors taken into account when making this decision was that these are unfriendly countries, which are currently most actively involved in military operations against our country," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The measure was temporary and no other decisions had been taken regarding the assets, he added.
Russia summons UK envoy over London's weapons supplies to Ukraine
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Britain's chargé d'affaires in Moscow, Danae Dholakia, on Friday to issue a formal protest about what it called London's "further increase" in weapons supplies to Ukraine.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that by sending more arms to Kyiv, "London is placing itself in the position of an accomplice to the bloody atrocities committed by the Kyiv regime, which can only be characterised as terrorism and war crimes."
Britain says it stands "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine and is committed to providing Kyiv with the military equipment it needs. Russia currently has no ambassador in London and relations between the two countries are dire.
The departure of the previous Russian envoy, Andrei Kelin, in July prompted British media speculation – denied by Russia – that Moscow was downgrading its diplomatic relations with Britain because of London's role as one of Ukraine's biggest supporters.
Two killed in attacks in Enerhodar and in Kursk region, Russian authorities say
One man was killed and three wounded in Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia's Kursk region, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said on Friday.
Separately, one person was killed in shelling in the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, Russian authorities said.
Russia seizes assets of Nestle, French firms
Russian authorities have seized the residual businesses and assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French groups, the latest move against Western firms in response to sanctions against Moscow over its war against Ukraine.
A decree signed by President Vladimir Putin issued late Thursday transferred the Russian operations of Nestle, French retailer Auchan and the former Leroy Merlin DIY chain, now known as Lemana Pro, to a company called LEV Management.
The decree also covers the Russian subsidiaries of French logistics group FM Logistic.
Investigative outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that LEV Management was created only at the end of 2025, and is headed by a Russian interior ministry general. It had no known business activity.
In photos: Aftermath of Russian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia
Residents gather in front of a shopping mall which was hit by a Russian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on September 18, 2026. (Reuters)
A firefighter works at the site of a shopping mall which was hit by a Russian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on September 17, 2026. (Reuters)
🎥 Russian elections a "veneer of democracy" as opposition barred from running
Russia holds its first parliamentary elections since the Ukraine war. Since only parties loyal to President Vladimir Putin are running, the elections are seen as nothing but a veneer of democracy.
Polish air traffic authority says airports in Lublin and Rzeszow halt operations
The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency said on Friday that airports in Lublin and Rzeszow in southeastern Poland suspended air operations due to military aviation activity.
Russia says destroyed dozens of Ukrainian drones as polling stations open
Russia destroyed a wave of Ukrainian drones bound for Moscow, the city's mayor said Friday, as polling stations opened for the country's first parliamentary election since the start of the war.
While few doubt President Vladimir Putin's party will sail to victory again, the vote will serve as a barometer for feelings on the war that has killed hundreds of thousands and undermined the daily lives of Russians.
"More than 350 UAVs flew towards the Moscow region between 8pm (17:00 GMT) on 17 September and 7am on 18 September," Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram.
"Most were reportedly destroyed at the outer defensive perimeter, including 64 UAVs intercepted while approaching Moscow."
Putin has ruled Russia since New Year's Eve 1999 and his United Russia party has dominated Russian politics since the early 2000s.
Moscow has banned criticism of its Ukraine campaign and the Russian elections, tightly controlled by the Kremlin, are bringing few surprises.
The vote to renew the 450 seats in the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, will run until 18:00 GMT on Sunday.
Russia strikes Nova Poshta facilities near Ukraine's Odesa, defence ministry says
Russian drones have hit Nova Poshta's logistics hub near the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa as well as a cargo vessel in the nearby port of Chornomorsk, the Russian defence ministry said on Telegram, citing the use of both for military purposes.
Russian drone strike injures five in Ukraine's Kyiv region, official says
A morning Russian drone attack has injured five people, including three children, in the Kyiv region around the Ukrainian capital, regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said on the Telegram messaging app.
🎥 US Midterms: Russian disinformation campaign targets Democrats
With US midterm elections now less than two months away, a series of videos have surfaced online, featuring celebrities seemingly denouncing the Democrats.
However, the clips are false and were created using artificial intelligence, as FRANCE 24's Charlotte Hughes explains.
Trump says 'major progress' towards US base in Poland
US President Donald Trump said that Washington and Warsaw were making 'major progress' toward establishing a US military base in Poland, potentially giving the United States a permanent military foothold on NATO's eastern flank even as his administration reviews its broader troop presence in Europe.
Russians begin voting in controlled election as war drags
Polling stations opened early Friday in Russia's Far East, kicking off a three-day election that President Vladimir Putin's party is all but guaranteed to win in the fifth year of war with Ukraine.
It will be Russia's first parliamentary election since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict has since killed hundreds of thousands.
Only parties that support Putin and the Kremlin's dragging military campaign have been registered to run. Moscow has also organised voting in occupied Ukraine.
Yesterday's key developments:
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President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Anton Kovalskyi as Ukraine's acting prosecutor general, a presidential decree has shown.
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The US House of Representatives passed a broad package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and key pillars of its economy as lawmakers look to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial resources needed to wage the war against Ukraine.
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A Russian barrage of missiles and drones targeting Ukraine's capital and the surrounding region injured at least 19 people overnight and into Thursday morning, authorities said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
