Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, yesterday called for sweeping curbs on state corporations that control swathes of the economy, declaring that many should be closed down.

Without naming specific companies, he told a meeting of Russian business leaders at the Kremlin that the corporations should “simply disappear” or become joint stock companies, with many of their state privileges removed. “I think that at some moment the creation of state corporations got out of control,” Mr Medvedev said.

His proposal could spell the end for state corporations, which grew quickly while Vladimir Putin, prime minister, was president. Mr Putin's thinking was unclear yesterday. He has championed similar reforms but also voiced a desire for the state to continue to dominate the “commanding heights” of the economy, including sectors such as energy and banking.