Russia has set out plans to take over a US-owned food company to feed its soldiers on the front line of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin’s Government says the seizure of the canned food company Glavprodukt is necessary to maintain constant supplies to Russia’s national guard and defence ministry. A letter was written to Russia‘s prosecutor general, seen by the news agency Reuters, by the new management of the food giant, outlining why the takeover was necessary.

Glavprodukt, owned by Leonid Smirnov, is the only US company to be under Kremlin control after it was placed under the temporary management of Russia last year. Russian President Vladimir Putin originally authorised Russian authorities to seize Russian-based assets of foreign companies in April 2023, targeting countries the Kremlin marked as “unfriendly”. This came in retaliation for the sweeping sanctions imposed by the West on Russia, freezing billions of pounds worth of assets too.

Glavprodukt is one business under the Universal Beverage Company, which the Kremlin took control of last year. The assets were handed to the Russian Federal Property Management Agency, also known as Rosimushchestvo.

At the time, an insider told Russian state media that Rosimushchestvo is taking over to “ensure food security.”

In March, Russia filed a lawsuit against the canned food company’s owner, Mr Smirnov, accusing him of withdrawing 1.38 billion rubles from Russia in the past two years, Russian state media reported.

However, Mr Smirnov told Reuters: “Universal Beverage Company categorically denies any wrongdoing in relation to the distribution of dividends from its Russian subsidiaries comprising Glavprodukt”.

Following this, the Kremlin seized all assets and cash linked to Mr Smirnov and Glavprodukt.

Mr Smirnov has spoken out against the seizure, claiming that he was the target of a campaign aimed at forcing the sale of the canned food company at a cheaper price. He has appealed to Donald Trump to “get involved and save my company”.

He told The New York Post: “What’s happening with my company is a raid under a Government seizure and confiscation attempt.”

Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, has previously claimed Russia‘s seizure of Glavprodukt would be “part of the conversation” with Russian officials as President Trump continues to negotiate a ceasefire deal over Ukraine.