No free exit from Russia possible for foreign companies, can be done only on terms of govt commission - Peskov

MOSCOW. Oct 31 (Interfax) - Foreign companies, which sell their business in Russia, will do so on terms set by the relevant Russian government commission, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"They will withdraw on the terms set by the commission. Of course, any free exit is now out of the question, as the commission strictly regulates this process," Peskov told reporters.

He was asked whether the Kremlin could confirm the Financial Times report, which said that Western companies leaving Russia now had to coordinate the ruble-denominated price of their assets. He was also asked if the falling ruble could be the reason for that.

"This is unrelated to the ruble fall. Indeed, the ruble exchange rate is volatile, same as the exchange rate of many other currencies. It falls at certain times and rises at others, so it is a normal economic process," Peskov said.

However, this is an area of the ad hoc government commission, and such questions should be addressed to it, he said.

"Details of the terms and all the other information are available at that commission," Peskov said.

Some companies are leaving Russia while others stay "and continue their rather profitable, advantageous business," he said.