By outdoor-nature-child.com On September 18, a shocking shooting unfolded at the Moscow office of Wildberries, Russia’s top e-commerce retailer. The incident reportedly involved the company’s founder, Tatiana Bakalchuk, who is also recognized as Russia’s wealthiest woman, and her husband, Vladislav Bakalchuk. Reports indicate that Vladislav led a group of armed individuals into the office, resulting in at least two fatalities and seven injuries. This violent episode follows the couple’s ongoing divorce proceedings amid disputes over a merger between Wildberries and the advertising firm Russ Group, a deal that Vladislav opposed.
Eyewitness videos shared on social media capture the chaos as a group of men attempted to breach the Wildberries office. Security personnel intervened, leading to a struggle at the entrance, which erupted into gunfire. The Investigative Committee of Russia has launched an investigation into the incident, confirming the deaths of two individuals, injuries to seven others, and the detention of nearly thirty people.
Among the injured are notable figures like mixed martial artist Abubakar Mestoev, Umar Chichaev, and heavyweight boxing champion Rashid Kodzev. Chichaev is associated with the “Akhmat Fight Club,” established by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Reportedly, soon after Tatiana declared her intention to divorce, Vladislav sought Kadyrov’s support against the merger.
In a statement on Telegram, Vladislav asserted that he had gone to the Wildberries headquarters for negotiations and denied being armed. He claimed, “My colleagues and I arrived at the office but were attacked by security personnel and unknown individuals, resulting in armed conflict.”
Tatiana contradicted his account, stating that it was Vladislav’s associates who “fired first,” emphasizing there was no pre-arranged meeting. She critiqued the absurdity of an armed group attempting to conduct negotiations, insisting that no one agreed to such talks.
The couple’s turmoil comes in the wake of Wildberries announcing in June a merger with Russ Group, aimed at creating a new digital trading platform known as RWB. Under the merger plan, Robert Mirzoyan from Russ Group would assume the role of CEO, with Tatiana as general manager. This merger is seen as a potential facet of a broader wartime asset redistribution in Russia, likely benefiting businesspeople connected to the Kremlin.
The shooting at Wildberries adds a grim chapter to the tumultuous relationship of Tatiana and Vladislav, who co-founded the company in 2004, often dubbed the “Amazon of Russia.” As of July, Tatiana owned 99% of the company’s shares, while Vladislav held just 1%. Forbes estimated her net worth at $7.4 billion during that period.