Russian authorities have arrested directors of the former Russian subsidiary of Carlsberg on suspicion of large-scale fraud, the Danish brewer has reported. Carlsberg calls the accusations against Baltika Breweries directors “false”.
The Russian government acquired Carlsberg’s shares in Baltika by presidential decree in July. Chairman Jacob Arup Andersen said last month that the subsidiary had been “stolen,” that all ties with Baltika had been severed, and that he refused to sign an agreement with the Russian government that would give the takeover a semblance of legitimacy.
“It is disgusting that the Russian state’s attempts to justify its illegal takeover of our company in Russia have now turned into an attack on innocent employees,” Carlsberg said in a statement.
The suspects are Denis Cherstennikov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baltika, and Anton Rogachevsky, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Legal Affairs. According to Russian prosecutors, they transferred some of Baltika’s intellectual property rights to Carlsberg during the Russian takeover.
Carlsberg has told Baltika, now owned by the Russian state, that it must stop brewing and selling Carlsberg products. Baltika started a lawsuit to be able to do this.
Editorial / Reuters
