A dramatic shootout erupted at the Moscow headquarters of e-commerce giant Wildberries on Wednesday, leaving at least two people dead. The violent incident unfolded when Vladislav Bakalchuk, the estranged husband of Russia’s richest woman, Tatyana Bakalchuk, allegedly stormed the building with armed men amid a bitter takeover row.
Shocking footage shared on social media captured the terrifying moments when gunmen opened fire inside the Wildberries office, sending employees scrambling to hide in elevators as gunshots echoed through the corridors. The raid, which lasted around 12 seconds, reportedly resulted in the deaths of two security guards.
Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, claimed that Vladislav and his men initiated the attack, with the company stating that “the armed men accompanying Mr. Bakalchuk were the first to fire.”
Vladislav, who co-founded the company but holds just a one percent stake, denied these accusations. He claimed on Telegram that “unknown people… provoked an armed conflict” as he arrived for negotiations, asserting that neither he nor his men were armed. However, Wildberries rejected this account, stating that Vladislav does not have access to the offices and that no negotiations were scheduled.
Tatyana Bakalchuk, who announced their divorce in July, accused her husband of leading the raid and appealed for law enforcement intervention. “Today a group of people led by Vladislav Bakalchuk, Sergei Anufriev, and Vladimir Bakin attempted to seize Wildberries offices in Moscow,” she wrote on Telegram. She confirmed that three people were wounded in the attack.
As the situation unfolded, police and security forces arrived at the scene, sealing off the offices with tape. Russian authorities have since detained at least ten people in connection with the incident.
The shootout marks a disturbing escalation in the conflict between the Bakalchuks, who both appeared on Forbes’ list of Russia’s wealthiest families in 2021. Their company, Wildberries, founded in 2004, has grown into Russia’s largest e-commerce platform, employing 50,000 people and processing 750,000 orders daily as of 2020.
The couple’s marital and business struggles became public in July when Vladislav appeared in a video with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, accusing Tatyana of questionable business practices. He claimed she was involved in a dubious merger that threatened the company’s future. One month later, Tatyana announced their divorce.
Under Russian law, divorcing couples are required to split assets acquired during the marriage. As the couple continues their legal battles, the tragic events at Wildberries’ headquarters have cast a dark shadow over one of Russia’s most prominent business empires.
