Kremlin says Rusal, Nornickel merger is a corporate matter

The Russian government said on Wednesday a possible merger between aluminum producer Rusal and mining group Nornickel was a matter for the two Russian metals companies. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a call that a merger between the two, which have both been hit hard by Western sanctions, was "a corporate matter".

Nornickel boss Vladimir Potanin told Russia's RBC TV channel on Tuesday that a merger between the two would create "a national champion".