Company in limited contact with Russian authorities
Q2 sales 21.4 bln crowns vs forecast 21.5 bln
Company raised 2023 profit guidance on Tuesday

COPENHAGEN, Aug 16 Reuters Carlsberg was shocked by Russia39;s seizure of its business in the country last month and the brewer is no closer to knowing what might happen next, its CEO said on Wednesday.

Russia took control of the Danish group39;s eight breweries and 8,400 employees in the country last month, shortly after Carlsberg had agreed to sell the unit to an undisclosed buyer.

We have known from the beginning, since announcing the intention to leave Russia in March of last year, that there was huge interest in the business from people inside Russia. But still, this is an unprecedented development, CEO Cees 39;t Hart said on a media call.

Last year, the group took a 9.9 billion crown 1.5 billion writedown on its Russian Baltika unit. According to a Russian presidential decree last month, Carlsberg retains ownership of the unit but no longer has any control or influence over it.

Technically, this is not a nationalisation, but how it will unfold is unclear for us at this point in time, Hart said. This latest development will make it even more painful to leave Russia.

Carlsberg is not in contact with any of its employees in Russia but remains in limited contact with Russian authorities, Hart said.

Many multinational companies flocked to leave Russia after the West imposed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow…