Sheremetyevo Acquires Domodedovo Airport in Second Auction for 66.13 Billion Rubles

Sheremetyevo International Airport, through its subsidiary Perspektiva, finalized the acquisition of the nationalized Domodedovo Airport on January 29, 2026, following a second auction round. The transaction transfers ownership of the major air hub, which the state assumed control over in June 2025 via a Prosecutor General's Office ruling. The final purchase price for Domodedovo Airport was set at 66.13 billion rubles, achieved through a Dutch-style auction format where the initial asking price was significantly reduced.

The second divestiture attempt saw the price effectively halved from the 132.3 billion rubles set during the initial auction on January 20, 2026, an earlier proceeding that concluded without a buyer. Perspektiva reportedly secured the asset by outbidding Moscow International Airport, an entity linked to Vnukovo Airport, in the final stages. The sale terms stipulate that the agreement must be finalized within five days and ownership transferred within 30 days of payment, with a forfeiture penalty of 26.45 billion rubles for non-compliance.

Mikhail Vasilenko, General Director of Sheremetyevo, acknowledged the facility's challenging financial status, describing Domodedovo as an "extremely complex facility with chronic problems, high risks, a significant debt burden, and losses." He noted that the airport's loan debt surpasses 75 billion rubles, with 2023 IFRS statements reporting a loss of 6.8 billion rubles. Sheremetyevo plans to finance the purchase using its own capital, explicitly stating the acquisition is being made "without borrowing," and has provided guarantees for the stable operation, wages, and employment of Domodedovo's staff.

Domodedovo's nationalization in June 2025 followed a court decision asserting that former owners Dmitry Kamenshchik and Valery Kogan, alleged foreign residents, lacked the right to manage a strategic enterprise due to claims of revenue transfer abroad. Kamenshchik, who reportedly held Russian and Israeli citizenship alongside Kogan, challenged this state takeover in Russia's Supreme Court during the latter half of January 2026. Prior to nationalization, Domodedovo had lost its status as Russia's largest airport to Sheremetyevo, handling 15.6 million passengers in 2024, a 21.9% decrease from the prior year.

The acquisition, which concentrates control over Moscow's air hub capacity under Sheremetyevo—a company associated with Arkady Rotenberg—is framed by Sheremetyevo's CEO as a "business project aimed at improving the health of an important part of the Moscow air hub." This consolidation occurs as Russia reportedly plans to invest nearly USD 2.5 billion to modernize 75 airports over five years, targeting a 50% growth in passenger traffic despite broader economic pressures.