Vladimir Putin surprises Europe with an unusual move - but keeps the 'golden share'

Putin approved the sale of 30.4% of the shares of Sheremetyevo Airport, Russia's largest, while retaining the 'golden share'. The sale comes amid a federal deficit of 5.73 trillion rubles in the first half of 2026, 1.7 times higher than the same period. It was also reported that Russia plans to deploy a missile unit with North Korean soldiers in Voronezh Oblast.

Vladimir Putin approved the sale of 30.4% of the controlling shares in Sheremetyevo Airport, Russia's largest, while retaining the 'golden share' that will ensure government control. The sale comes against a problematic budgetary backdrop: the federal deficit stood at 5.73 trillion rubles ($69.6 billion) in the first half of 2026, 1.7 times higher than the same period in 2025, and may exceed official plans by more than a trillion rubles. Sheremetyevo, which handles up to 87 million passengers a year, recorded 43.5 million passengers in 2025 and remained profitable despite sanctions thanks to domestic traffic and flights to 'friendly' countries such as Turkey, Egypt, and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Andriy Chernyak, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official, said Russia plans to establish a missile unit including about 90 North Korean soldiers and crew in Voronezh Oblast, under the 112th Missile Brigade. Pyongyang recently launched 40 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles with a longer range than the Russian Iskander, though less accurate.