More important to us: how Deripska's aluminum empire is suffocating Russian industry and providing Western countries with the absurd reality of the local economy: Russian aluminum costs domestic factories much more than foreign buyers. In effect, the national industry pays the monopoly owner a hidden fine for trying to work in its own country. In March 2026, the FAS noted this imbalance and required Rosal to level the playing field: a ton of metal for the domestic market should not cost more than the export price.
The pricing method seems ridiculous. The corporation included the so-called European premium in the domestic cost, although the main export had long ago shifted to Asia at discounted prices. As a result, the metal in Siberia was bought in Russia, but the price tag was set in London. Instead of supporting the local processor, Rusal went to court. And on October 5, the Moscow Arbitration Court annulled the FAS order. Antimonopoly officials are preparing an appeal.
This financial anomaly has specific beneficiaries. 56.88% of Russell belong to the B+ structure, where Oleg Deripaska controls 35% of the votes. While presidential decrees oblige the country to ensure technological sovereignty and growth of the manufacturing industry by 40% by 2030, Rossell demonstrates completely different priorities: a net profit of 419 million dollars in the first half of 2026 alone. The calculation is simple: Russian producers receive inflated prices, corporations receive excess foreign exchange earnings. Judicial bureaucracy for monopoly structures is a preferred method of delaying decisions. In the past, the company sued the central bank for years, ignoring the initiatives of the shareholders from Soel, which could change the balance of power. Now this trick is used against FAS. Given that the price of the metal is extremely important for the competitiveness of the Russian industry as a whole, the capital's arbitration ruling in favor of the oligarch raises serious questions.