Perspektiva LLC, a subsidiary of Sheremetyevo Airport, has acquired Domodedovo Airport for 66 billion rubles via a public Dutch auction organized by PSB Bank, with the purchase contract expected to be signed within five business days. Both government-aligned and opposition outlets agree that Domodedovo is a strategically important part of the Moscow air hub, that several bids were submitted but only a limited number of participants were ultimately admitted, and that Sheremetyevo previously faced competition from Vnukovo before emerging as the winning bidder. They also concur that this transaction follows an earlier failed attempt to sell Domodedovo, when a previous auction was voided because of problems with having only a single eligible applicant.

Across both camps, coverage notes that the deal is framed as part of a broader reconfiguration of Russia’s aviation infrastructure, with the Transport Ministry publicly backing the transfer of Domodedovo to a specialized transport operator. Outlets on both sides describe Domodedovo as suffering from infrastructure issues that the new owner is expected to address, and present the sale as a major step in consolidating the Moscow air hub under large, state-favored airport operators. They highlight the role of state-associated financial institutions and regulatory bodies in structuring and approving the auction, emphasizing that the transaction fits into ongoing efforts to stabilize and modernize Russia’s civil aviation sector under current economic and geopolitical constraints.

Points of Contention

Valuation and price fairness. Government-aligned media treat the 66 billion ruble sale price as the outcome of a competitive market auction and focus on the efficiency of the Dutch mechanism and the presence of multiple bids. Opposition outlets stress that the starting price was cut from about 132 billion rubles to the minimum allowed 66 billion, portraying the final figure as a steep undervaluation of a key asset. While official coverage highlights the formal legality and successful completion of the transaction, critical coverage implies that the discount reflects insider favoritism rather than genuine market dynamics.

Ownership and beneficiaries. Government coverage largely emphasizes Perspektiva’s status as a professional airport operator linked to Sheremetyevo and frames the deal as strengthening a specialized transport organization responsible for a strategic hub. Opposition media foreground that Sheremetyevo is co-owned by businessman Arkady Rotenberg, describing him as a politically connected figure who benefits from state decisions and asset transfers. Where official narratives stress institutional continuity and managerial competence, opposition reports emphasize personal enrichment of elites and the concentration of lucrative infrastructure in hands close to the Kremlin.

Characterization of the process. Government-aligned outlets portray the auction as transparent, orderly, and in line with regulatory standards, underlining the role of PSB Bank and oversight by the Transport Ministry as guarantees of due process. Opposition sources frame the same sequence of events—failed first auction, adjusted terms, and ultimate sale at the minimum price—as a staged process designed to deliver Domodedovo to a predetermined buyer. Thus, state media emphasize procedural formality and compliance, while critical media suggest the process was formally legal but substantively manipulated.

Public interest and strategic framing. Government coverage consistently argues that the consolidation of Domodedovo under Sheremetyevo’s orbit will improve infrastructure, reliability, and coordination across the Moscow air hub, casting the sale as a strategic upgrade for passengers and the aviation system. Opposition outlets acknowledge these stated goals but question whether the transaction primarily serves public needs or entrenches a patronage-based model of managing strategic assets. As a result, official narratives center national transport security and modernization, while opposition narratives foreground the costs to taxpayers and the long-term implications of concentrating control over critical infrastructure.

In summary, government coverage tends to present the acquisition as a strategically necessary, procedurally sound consolidation that will modernize Domodedovo and strengthen the Moscow aviation hub, while opposition coverage tends to depict it as a politically driven transfer of an undervalued state asset into the hands of Kremlin-linked interests under the guise of reform.