Russia’s property agency sold Yuzhuralzoloto for ₽93 billion, about $1.1 billion

Russia’s state property agency sold the Yuzhuralzoloto group for 93 billion rubles (about $1.1 billion), its head, Vadim Yakovenko, told President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin published their meeting transcript on 13 November, but the transcript did not name the buyer or give the sale date.

The state had previously held a controlling stake through the agency, Rosimushchestvo. BTS-Most Holding became the owner of 67.2% of Yuzhuralzoloto when its shareholder composition changed on 16 July, Kommersant said, citing a corporate disclosure.

The sale and the buyer

BTS-Most Holding won an auction for interests in Yuzhuralzoloto and other group companies on 19 June. By 6 July, the buyer said it had paid Rosimushchestvo for the controlling stake and interests in associated entities.

Yakovenko called Yuzhuralzoloto Russia’s largest gold producer and said it also had a coal division. Kommersant separately ranked the group fourth in Russia by gold production, saying it produced 12 metric tons in 2025.

Businessman Ruslan Baisarov described the acquisition as BTS-Most’s first successful deal among a wider range of mining projects it was considering. An early-July announcement envisaged renaming Yuzhuralzoloto as BTS-Zoloto Group. Oleg Shiryaev became the group’s head.

Kommersant said a buyer acquiring more than 30% of a public company must offer to buy shares from the remaining shareholders within 35 days of purchase. As of its 17 July report, BTS-Most Holding had not commented on its plans for an offer.