Founders of Wildberries Officially Divorced

The court has dissolved the marriage between the founder of Wildberries, Tatyana Kim, and Vladislav Bakalchuk. According to Meduza, Bakalchuk announced this via his Telegram channel, sharing the song "I Am Free" by Valery Kipelov.

“Friends, our marriage with Tatyana is officially dissolved. A 22-year story has come to an end. Of course, this is a sad moment. At one point, I was proud of our family, our relationships, and the fact that we built not only a business, but also a life together. However, the last few months have shown that this end was inevitable. Children will stay with their mother, while alimony will be the father’s responsibility,” Bakalchuk stated.

He termed the decision as “predictable,” noting that in Russia, “as a rule, children stay with their mother.” Bakalchuk added that a court decision regarding the division of the ex-spouses' property is expected on February 18.

After some time, Tatyana Kim confirmed the news of the divorce, stating, “Today the court granted my petition for divorce, and the children will stay with me. I am glad that this difficult period is behind us.” In late July 2024, Tatyana Kim (then Bakalchuk) filed for divorce from her husband.

The Bakalchuks' divorce gained public attention after Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, intervened in the merger deal between Wildberries and Russ.

Forbes has put forward several theories regarding the reasons for the conflict between the Bakalchuks. According to one version, Tatyana Kim was afraid of difficulties with law enforcement and regulatory authorities following a fire that broke out in a Wildberries warehouse near St. Petersburg in January 2024. Representatives from Russ reportedly helped resolve the issue “at the highest level—in exchange for a stake in the business.” Another theory suggests that Kim “fell in love, and her romantic involvement relates to Russ.” The project has reported that Bakalchuk decided to merge Wildberries with Russ Outdoor because of a romantic affair with the company’s executive director, Robert Mirzoyan. In September 2024, against the backdrop of the merger deal and the Bakalchuks' divorce, a shooting occurred near the main office of Wildberries in Moscow, resulting in two fatalities and seven injuries.