Rapper Timati, Wildberries, and the Russ Group: A High-Stakes Corporate Saga

The musician Timati stepped into a confrontation surrounding the Wildberries marketplace. On July 29, he shared a collaborative video with Vladislav Bakalchuk on his Instagram, a notable figure who leads a major tech-backed retail platform and who is currently facing significant scrutiny.

In the video, Timati characterized the dispute as a raider-style takeover and claimed that international parties had intruded into Bakalchuk’s family affairs, using marriage and divorce matters as a pretense to press for control over the business.

“I have heard the full story. I stand with Vladislav and urge everyone involved in the alleged capture to reconsider their actions. Friends, please step back, restore balance, and allow the family to reunite,” Timati stated.

How did the situation unfold?

On June 18, Wildberries and Russ Group, a major Russian outdoor advertising operator, announced plans to collaborate on a next-generation digital trading platform. A source cited by Kommersant indicated that the envisioned leadership would be Tatyana Bakalchuk, founder and owner of Wildberries, with Robert Mirzoyan, president of Russ, slated to serve as chief executive.

Another insider suggested that the move might not be a straightforward market transaction. As noted by Kommersant, Russ could bring valuable administrative resources that would help navigate evolving market regulations in Russia.

Bakalchuk publicly affirmed plans to steer the merged entity herself and assured that the arrangement would not disrupt Wildberries’ ongoing operations.

By July 12, Vedomosti reported that the joint venture RVB, in which Wildberries held 65 percent and Stinn LLC owned 35 percent, had consolidated ownership of 15 entities previously wholly owned by Wildberries. By July 20, Bakalchuk described changes to the new corporate structure as smooth and positive.

However, on July 23, Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov, in a Telegram post following talks with Vladislav Bakalchuk, accused the venture of a raider takeover. He claimed to have learned of family and business tensions dating back to March, alleging that the Bakalchuk family faced pressure and separation from the business.

According to Kadyrov, the family’s difficulties were linked with protective actions by the Russ Outdoor company and several individuals, including Levan and Robert Mirzoyan. He pledged to intervene to ensure the family’s unity and to safeguard the legitimate business interests.

What is the connection to divorce?

Bakalchuk challenged the takeover narrative, insisting that the situation was not a raid but a business arrangement. She highlighted that the merger with Russ Group had been presented to Wildberries’ top management with her personally in attendance.

Later, she released a video stating that she was healthy and thriving. She indicated that Vladislav held a 1% stake in Wildberries and presented documentation to confirm this. She stressed that he does not participate in the company’s management.

“Recent decisions were about transforming the company to sustain growth, drive innovation, and craft new opportunities for partners and customers,” Bakalchuk explained. She asserted that the merger received full approval and said there was no need for outside rescue.

She also acknowledged not understanding why her husband would frame events as a raid, noting family issues that she regrets making public.

Vladislav Bakalchuk described a period of confusion before the Mirzoyan brothers’ involvement became clear, recalling a time when the family’s communications felt strained and unclear. He claimed that after April, contact with Tatyana diminished and described a sense of being left in the dark about ongoing negotiations.

According to his account, there were attempts to reconcile, but the conversations faded after multiple meetings. He suggested that without his consent, the changes could have progressed without his input.

He added that Tatyana Bakalchuk had at times restricted his access to the Wildberries operations, a move he attributed to strategic pressure by Levan Mirzoyan. He alleged that several senior leaders at Wildberries were dismissed and that loyal personnel were replaced swiftly.

Bakalchuk said he rejected these claims on the following day, while Bakalchuk herself stated that the team that built the Wildberries brand remained intact in function or grew in capability. She reiterated that the merger was a timely step toward transformation, enabling Russ to help build a world-class high‑tech Russian business.

She also chose not to discuss the divorce in detail, preferring privacy for the process.

On July 25, Vladislav Bakalchuk offered an update via the Telegram channel SHOT Check, saying the divorce had not yet been filed and that the merged Wildberries-Russ entity could influence how property is divided. He said he remained with the children in Turkey and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution, aiming to avoid court proceedings and to reach an agreement with his wife.

In his view, the family situation underscores the broader business evolution and the uncertainties that can accompany large-scale corporate restructurings conducted at speed. He remained hopeful that the family could navigate the matter with transparency and find a constructive path forward.