Putin signs decree to protect Russian strategic firms abroad

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Tuesday to protect the interests of strategic companies operating abroad, requiring them to obtain government permission to disclose information to foreign regulators, change contracts and sell property abroad.

The decree follows a warning by Gazprom to the European Commission that a European Union investigation of Gazprom's pricing practices in Europe touched the interests of a strategic Russian company.

"The decree establishes the obligation of a federal executive body to refuse permission to conduct the aforementioned activities if they are capable of damaging the economic interests of the Russian Federation," the text of the decree, distributed by the Kremlin on Tuesday, said.

(Reporting by Melissa Akin; Editing by Steve Gutterman)