A foreign group leaving Russia chooses between selling the local business, transferring it to management, winding operations down, or liquidating the subsidiary. Each route has different regulatory, tax and reputational consequences — and most sale routes require Government Commission approval. We manage exits end-to-end.
Exit routes we support
- Sale to a local buyer or management (MBO) — deal structuring, valuation support, Commission approval, closing mechanics;
- Orderly wind-down — terminating contracts and employment lawfully, settling with creditors, protecting the brand;
- Voluntary liquidation — full procedure from shareholder resolution to removal from the register, including tax audits that typically accompany it;
- Holding restructuring — where a full exit is premature, isolating the Russian business from the group.
What matters in practice
Employment terminations must follow Russian labour law to the letter; director liability continues until the company is deregistered; and intellectual property, domains and data need a documented transfer or wind-down plan. We prepare a step plan with responsibilities and dates before any public announcement.
FAQ
How long does a liquidation take?
A voluntary liquidation of a clean company realistically takes around a year including the tax review stage; complications extend it. A sale is usually faster but depends on the Commission timeline.
Can we simply abandon the subsidiary?
We do not recommend it: directors and, in some scenarios, shareholders retain liability, and the group keeps reputational and tax exposure. An orderly route is almost always cheaper in the end.