Shooting at Wildberries Moscow Office Leaves Two Dead in Botched Takeover Attempt

Shooting at Wildberries Office in Moscow Leaves Two Dead in Botched Takeover Attempt

A shocking incident unfolded at the Moscow office of Russian retailer Wildberries on Wednesday, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals. The CEO of Wildberries, Tatyana Bakalchuk, pointed the blame at her estranged husband, Vladislav Bakalchuk, alleging that he orchestrated a botched takeover attempt that turned violent.

According to reports, armed men accompanying Vladislav illegally entered the company’s office building in central Moscow and opened fire. Videos circulating on social media captured the chaos, with gunshots ringing out in the background and a man brandishing a handgun in one of the clips.

The altercation occurred shortly after Wildberries finalized a merger deal, which Vladislav publicly criticized. The situation escalated further when strongman Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov vowed to intervene and halt the merger.

In a statement, CEO Tatyana Bakalchuk, who is also Russia’s wealthiest woman, condemned the attack, stating, “To my deep regret, as a result of the armed attack on Wildberries, a security guard at our office was killed.” Tragically, a second guard succumbed to his injuries, as reported by Russian state media.

The Investigative Committee of Russia has launched a criminal investigation into the incident, which left seven individuals injured, including two law enforcement officers. Eyewitnesses described hearing screams and gunfire inside the building, with wounded individuals being rushed out for medical attention.

Vladislav Bakalchuk denied being armed and claimed he was at the office for negotiations, alleging that the shooting originated from within the building. However, Wildberries refuted his account, asserting that his group initiated the violence and had no authorization to enter the premises.

The tumultuous events have shed light on the personal and professional rift between Tatyana and Vladislav Bakalchuk, who co-founded Wildberries in 2004 but recently announced their separation and impending divorce. The fallout from the merger deal and the subsequent violent takeover attempt have sent shockwaves through the Russian business community.

As authorities continue to investigate the tragic incident, the repercussions of this brazen attack at Wildberries’ office in Moscow are sure to reverberate across the country.