BTS-MOST to pay RUB 93.2B for Yuzhuralzoloto stake: IFX

The Russian government is set to finalize the sale of a 67.2% stake in Yuzhuralzoloto Group of Companies (YUGK) to BTS-MOST for RUB 93.2 billion ($1.26 billion), according to sale of 67.2% stake. This marks a resolution to the government’s failed auction earlier in May 2026, which had attracted no bids despite a starting price of RUB 140.4 billion ($1.9 billion). The new price represents a significant discount from the initial asking amount, reflecting the government’s strategy to expedite the sale of nationalized assets amid ongoing economic pressures.

YUGK, Russia’s third-largest gold producer, was nationalized in July 2025 after the Sovetsky District Court in Chelyabinsk ruled to transfer the controlling stake from billionaire Konstantin Strukov to the state. The court cited allegations that Strukov had gained control of the company through his position in government. The stake is valued at approximately RUB 200 billion ($2.5 billion).

The acquisition by BTS-MOST is the latest in a series of high-profile asset transfers by the Russian government since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Analysts have noted that such actions have contributed to a decline in investor confidence and a broader perception of instability in the Russian business environment.