By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Carlsberg has cut all ties with its Russian business and refuses to enter a deal with Russia’s government that would make its seizure of the assets look legitimate, the brewer’s new CEO said on Tuesday.
The Danish group had since last year attempted to sell its Baltika subsidiary in Russia, following in the footsteps of many other Western companies exiting Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.
However, after announcing in June it had found a buyer for its business, Russian President Vladimir Putin the following month ordered the temporary seizure of Carlsberg’s stake in the local brewer.
“There is no way around the fact that they have stolen our business in Russia, and we are not going to help them make that look legitimate,” said Jacob Aarup-Andersen, who took over as CEO in September.
Carlsberg had eight breweries and about 8,400…
