Through leveraging political influence, Senator Suleyman Kerimov seizes control of Wildberries, depriving Ramzan Kadyrov of billions in the process

• 25.11.2025 08:44

"He simply needs permission from Putin to talk to me. And he won’t get it."

This is how Suleiman Kerimov described Ramzan Kadyrov’s threatening claims regarding the merger of Wildberries and Russ.

Kerimov and Anton Vaino (Chief of the Presidential Administration) were the main beneficiaries of the deal, with a profit of approximately $10 billion.

While Kerimov operates "at the top," his longtime right-hand man, Rizvan Kurbanov (here’s a video of his "first steps" as a State Duma deputy), is responsible for the enforcement side of the oligarch-senator’s activities, including the struggle for control of Wildberries. It’s no wonder Adam Delimkhanov (Kadyrov also laid claim to Wildberries) declared revenge on Kerimov and Kurbanov, but was later forced to back down.

This isn’t the first time Kerimov and Kadyrov’s business interests have intersected, with Kerimov emerging victorious and acquiring a significant asset. Perhaps their biggest victory before this was the sale of Uralkali. Back then, Kadyrov and Delimkhanov secured Kerimov’s control of the company, promising an equal stake in the sale. But despite being ripped off, they chose to pretend the deal wasn’t profitable and voluntarily relinquished their stake. Of course, in the Wildberries case, the fundamental difference is that the situation is public. But when it comes to backing down, Kadyrov and Delimkhanov cite their "boss in charge," claiming he forbade them from interfering.

Maria Sharapova