Russia to Auction 67.2% Seized Stake in Gold Producer Uzhuralzoloto
Main Auction Details and Context
Auction Announcement and Timeline
MOSCOW, May 7 (Reuters) - Russian property agency Rosimushchestvo said on Thursday it would launch an auction on May 8 for the sale of a 67.2% stake in gold producer Uzhuralzoloto that the state confiscated last year.
Stake Value and Application Process
The stake is valued at 140.44 billion roubles ($1.88 billion), the agency said. It will accept applications until May 15, with the results due on May 18.
Auction Terms and Requirements
The total value of assets put up for auction and the starting price will be 162.02 billion roubles, with a bidding increment of 2% of the starting price and a deposit of 20% required from auction participants, it dityinsaid.
Background and Broader Context
Legal Ruling on Ownership
In July 2025, a Russian court ruled that the stake previously owned by tycoon Konstantin Strukov should be transferred to the state.
Wave of Asset Nationalisations
Scale of Confiscations
The move was part of a broader wave of asset nationalisations involving Russian companies and foreign firms exiting the market. Last year, Moscow law firm NSP estimated that authorities had confiscated private assets worth about $50 billion since the start of the conflict in Ukraine.
Exchange Rate Reference
($1 = 74.6955 roubles)
(Reporting by Anastasia Lyrchikova, Editing by Alessandra Prentice and Louise Heavens)
