Wildberries founder dispute escalates into deadly Moscow shootout

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Moscow remains silent on a deadly shootout that occurred at the office of Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, owned by Tatyana Bakalchuk, the country's richest woman. The incident, which took place in the center of Moscow, resulted in two deaths and seven injuries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the case, stating that it is being handled by law enforcement.

The shootout is tied to a dispute between Bakalchuk and her ex-husband, Vladimir Bakalchuk, over the merging of Wildberries with outdoor advertising company Russ Group. Tatyana, who owns 99% of Wildberries, approved the merger, while Vladimir, holding just 1%, opposes the decision. He has reportedly gained the support of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has called the merger an illegal takeover.

Reports suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the merger deal. On Friday, over two dozen individuals were arrested in connection with the shootout, including a Chechen mixed martial arts fighter. Vladimir Bakalchuk, who was briefly detained for his suspected role in the shootout, later appeared in a video claiming his innocence and vowing to continue fighting for the business.

In a tearful video, Tatyana Bakalchuk accused her ex-husband of orchestrating the attack. She also announced that she would revert to her maiden name, Kim, following their divorce.