Lawyer Pavel PetrovLawyer Pavel Petrov

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Sale of Part of a Debtor’s Assets During Russian External Administration

An Article 111 sale of part of a debtor’s assets is an external-administration measure authorised by the approved plan and must not make the debtor’s business operations impossible. It differs from a going-concern sale and from liquidation-estate realisation. Inventory, the required valuation and a functional review of the remaining business come first.

Recovery is the purpose

The sale raises funds under the external-administration plan rather than terminating the debtor’s activity.

Define the asset perimeter

Inventory separates saleable assets from those required for ongoing operations.

The business must remain viable

Article 111 bars a structure that makes the debtor’s economic activity impossible.

Quick self-check
  • Open the approved external-administration plan.
  • Verify inventory and asset identifiers.
  • Determine whether an independent valuation was required.
  • Assess production, licence and infrastructure dependencies.
  • Compare bidding form, disclosure, deposit, contract and payment.

When Article 111 Applies

The external administrator may begin a partial asset sale only where the external-administration plan permits it, after inventory and after valuation where requested by a creditor or authorised authority under the statute.

The plan should explain which assets are sold, the expected proceeds and why the remaining assets support continued operations and recovery.

The Business-Continuity Limit

The sale must not make the debtor’s economic activity impossible. Review the asset’s functional role in production, safety, permits, infrastructure, contracts and operational links, not only its accounting classification.

A low-value item may be critical to an entire operation. Low book value does not prove that the business can operate without it.

How the Sale Proceeds

Article 111 refers to Article 110(4)–(19), subject to its own features. Statutory asset categories require electronic bidding, while restricted-transfer assets limit participation under the special law.

The notice discloses the asset, inspection, bidding form, application, deposit, opening price and deadlines. The published rules determine the winner, followed by contract, payment and transfer.

Exceptions and Legislative Date

Article 111 does not govern the ordinary sale of products manufactured in the debtor’s ongoing operations. It also prohibits a partial sale involving the special production facility referred to in Article 56.1 of the Environmental Protection Law.

The wording concerning property rights changes on 1 September 2026. A notice published after that date must use the version then in force rather than an earlier checklist.

Distinguish Adjacent Procedures

Article 110 sells the business as a going concern. Article 139 liquidates estate assets for creditor distributions. Article 111 operates within external administration and preserves an operating enterprise.

  1. approved external-administration plan;
  2. inventory and valuation records;
  3. business-continuity analysis;
  4. sale rules and notice;
  5. applications, minutes and contract;
  6. payment and transfer deed.
MechanismPurposeEffect on business
Partial asset sale, Article 111Recovery during external administrationContinues without the sold assets
Going-concern sale, Article 110Transfer of an enterprise complexComplex passes to buyer
Estate sale, Article 139Creditor distributionsOccurs in liquidation proceedings
Ordinary product salesCurrent operationsNot an Article 111 recovery measure
Removal of a critical assetProhibited structureMakes business operations impossible

Frequently Asked Questions

Can assets be sold without the external-administration plan?

Not under Article 111. A partial sale as a recovery measure must be authorised by the approved plan.

May any surplus-looking asset be removed?

No. Its legal status, operational function and effect on continued activity must be assessed.

Is valuation mandatory?

Inventory is required; valuation is used where requested through the statutory process.

Does a sub-RUB 100,000 value remove all requirements?

No. The current article uses the plan’s method for such property, while statutory prohibitions and the recovery purpose remain.

Is this a sale without auction in liquidation?

No. Article 111 concerns external administration and business recovery; simplified liquidation sales have a different legal basis.

Legal Sources

Related guides: going-concern sale, asset substitution and sale rules.

Need to Test a Partial Asset Sale?

An initial consultation can compare the plan, the asset’s operational role and the mandatory sale process.

BOOK AN INITIAL CONSULTATION

General information as at 28 August 2026. Auctions after 1 September 2026 must apply the amended wording of Article 111.