Moscow plans to use U.S.-owned company to supply Russian military after takeover

According to Reuters, the company, Glavprodukt, a canned food manufacturer, was taken under state control in October 2024. It is the only American-owned firm to have been expropriated by the Kremlin during the war. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has indicated that the company’s seizure will feature in future negotiations with Moscow.

A letter from Glavprodukt’s new management, addressed to Russia’s prosecutor general and seen by Reuters, claims the takeover was necessary to ensure uninterrupted production — including for future deliveries to the Russian National Guard and the Ministry of Defense.

The company is now managed by Russia’s federal property agency, Rosimushchestvo, following its seizure from Los Angeles-based owner Leonid Smirnov. On March 12, a Moscow court formally froze Glavprodukt’s assets at the request of prosecutors. A hearing on the case is scheduled for April 18.

Russian prosecutors have accused Smirnov of illegally transferring approximately 1.38 billion rubles (around $17 million) out of the country between 2022 and 2024. Smirnov denies the charges, calling the case a politically motivated corporate raid aimed at taking over his business.

Rosimushchestvo and Russia’s industry and trade ministry did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Web of interests behind the takeover

According to the letter reviewed by Reuters, Glavprodukt’s new director was appointed by Rosimushchestvo at the request of Druzhba Narodov, a food company that previously held an exclusive contract to supply Russia’s National Guard in 2019–2020.

Glavprodukt had not previously been a military supplier, sources familiar with the matter said.

The links between Druzhba Narodov and politically connected agribusiness interests raise further questions. A 2018 investigation by the late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny revealed that former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed off on Druzhba Narodov’s contract with the National Guard in 2017.

Though ownership of Druzhba Narodov is now classified, past public records reported by Kommersant suggest it was acquired by entities linked to the Agrocomplex named after N. I. Tkachev — a major agricultural holding controlled by Alexander Tkachev. Both companies have used the same agrocomplex.ru domain in official communications, filings from the Spark corporate registry show.

Tkachev, who was sanctioned by the EU in 2014 over the annexation of Crimea, later served as Russia’s agriculture minister and now chairs Agrocomplex’s board, according to independent audit filings for 2025 seen by Reuters.

Neither Druzhba Narodov nor Agrocomplex responded to requests for comment.

• The United States will not hold any negotiations or enter into any bilateral agreements with Russia regarding the easing of sanctions until a ceasefire in Ukraine is achieved.