Russia takes control of significant bread manufacturing corporation, accused of backing Ukrainian military forces
In a recent development, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office has filed a lawsuit against Latvian businessman Normunds Bomis, accusing him of conducting extremist activities that allegedly undermine Russia's state interests. The lawsuit, filed with the Rodnikovsky District Court of the oblast, seeks to confiscate Bomis' share in the Russian company Ryzhsky Khleb, based in Ivanovo Oblast, and ban related entities.
Bomis, who is also a co-founder of Ryzhsky Khleb, is accused of donating approximately $36,800 to the Latvian charity Ziedot.lv between 2023 and 2025. Russian authorities claim that these donations were used to finance Ukraine's military, specifically the Azov Brigade—a unit Russia has designated as a terrorist organization. However, independent verification of these claims is lacking.
The prosecutors argue that Bomis' 50% stake in Ryzhsky Khleb constitutes a "financial base" for what they label an "extremist association." This association also includes Bomis' bakery holding company, SIA Lielezers, which he founded in the Latvian town of Limbaži. The legal case is part of a broader pattern of Russian authorities using anti-extremism laws to target foreign business figures perceived as opposing Russian state interests.
Beyond Ryzhsky Khleb, Russian court documents allege that the "extremist association" includes other businesses associated with Bomis, such as the company Khlibnyi Hurman based in Chernihiv and Kyiv. The Riga-based foundation Ziedot.lv, which Bomis is associated with, is also part of this association.
This case reflects a wider trend in which Russian authorities have escalated efforts to seize foreign-owned assets and label critics or supporters of Ukraine as "extremists." The use of anti-extremism and anti-terrorism legislation to justify asset confiscation and business closures has become a notable tool in Russia’s response to the Ukraine conflict. Such measures often lack transparency and independent verification, raising concerns about due process and the politicization of legal proceedings.
The allegations against Bomis and his businesses are significant, given his prominent role in the Russian business world. As a co-founder of Rizhsky Khleb, a major bread producer based in Russia’s Ivanovo region, Bomis has been a key player in the industry. His case underscores the Russian state’s increasing use of broad anti-extremist statutes to target foreign business figures and confiscate their assets, particularly those with perceived links to Ukraine. The lack of independent verification of the allegations and the political context of the ongoing conflict cast doubt on the impartiality of these legal proceedings.
- This legal case against Normunds Bomis, a co-founder of Ryzhsky Khleb, falls under the broader category of Russian politics and policy-and-legislation, where anti-extremism laws are utilized to target foreign business figures perceived as opposing Russian state interests.
- The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has influenced the general news landscape, with instances of crime-and-justice, such as the allegations against Normunds Bomis, showing Russia's increasing use of charges like extremism to seize foreign-owned assets, particularly those with perceived links to Ukraine, raising questions about due process and the impartiality of legal proceedings.
