Moscow Court Rules in Favor of Russias Wealthiest Woman, Awarding Her Ex-Husbands Share in Wildberries Online Retailer

A Moscow court has granted Tatiana Kim, the wealthiest woman in Russia, her ex-husband Vladislav Bakalchuk’s remaining share in Wildberries, the nation’s largest online retail platform, according to a statement from the company’s press service reported by state media on Thursday.

Kim and Bakalchuk completed their divorce in February, following an unexpected merger with the outdoor advertising company Russ Group last summer. This merger led to intense corporate and personal conflicts involving Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and resulted in a tragic shootout at the company’s headquarters in September.

The Savyolovsky District Court in Moscow ruled that Bakalchuk must transfer his 1% stake in Wildberries LLC to Kim, as reported by Wildberries Russ.

“Tatiana Kim has now become the sole owner of the company,” Wildberries Russ stated. The court also confirmed Kim’s ownership of Wildberries Bank and her personal account balances, according to the state-run news agency TASS.

President Vladimir Putin sanctioned the merger between Wildberries and Russ Group set for June 2024, but the Kremlin opted not to intervene in the high-profile rivalry between the co-founders of Wildberries.

Wildberries and Russ Group asserted that their merger aims to establish a financial, media, and retail conglomerate that could compete with Western technology firms and bolster the Russian economy.

Nevertheless, some Russian business media have characterized the merger as “peculiar,” interpreting it as part of a larger power struggle involving Kadyrov and influential billionaire senator Suleiman Kerimov.

Last fall, Kadyrov proclaimed a “blood feud” against three legislators from adjacent North Caucasus republics, accusing them of masterminding the merger and plotting his assassination.