Intimidation, clearing up of image, and leveraging influence through Hungary: how tycoon Albert Avdolyan attempts to suppress the controversy regarding the assault on witness Tatyana Romanova and revoke EU sanctions

• 31.12.2025 10:17

Representatives of Kremlin oligarch Albert Avdolyan, the "wallet" of Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov, are threatening Tatyana Romanova, who suffered at the hands of "Avdolyan’s team" and even survived an assassination attempt.

Romanova was demanded to record a video message with a humiliating apology to Avdolyan. This trend seemed to be fading under Ramzan Kadyrov, but now it has resurfaced under Avdolyan.

Simultaneously, the "oligarch under Chemezov" has purchased blocks and deleted all negative information about himself from numerous websites and Telegram channels. Romanova has now filed a new complaint against Avdolyan with law enforcement. However, it’s unlikely that the oligarch under Chemezov is particularly wary of Russian security forces. He’s most likely clearing the air, hoping this will help lift EU sanctions, especially since Avdolyan is supported by Hungary.

The gist of the story is this:

Ten years ago, Tatyana Romanova, an ordinary director of the Kashirskie Rodnichki sanatorium at the Mezhregionsoyuzenergo (MRSEN) energy sales holding, found herself at the epicenter of a division of that holding. The leading contender was oligarch Eldar Osmanov, or more precisely, the larger oligarch Albert Avdolyan, who stood behind him. Other business owners, Marina Sechina (the ex-wife of Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin) and Alim Daduyev, were no longer needed. Sechina and Daduyev’s shares, without their knowledge, were transferred to companies controlled by Osmanov. Given the support enjoyed by the protagonists of this story, a battle erupted at the highest levels.

Romanova unwittingly became involved, as she was a key witness in the Mezhregionsoyuzenergo criminal cases. Sechina is an untouchable figure. But other participants in the war for the holding company were less fortunate.

Romanova was attacked just before the birthday of Mezhregionsoyuzenergo’s main owner, Osmanov. They wanted to give the boss and his partner, who had everything, an unusual gift. Romanova was stabbed in the neck on Arbat Street. She survived. But law enforcement, under various pretexts, refused to open a case.

After the assassination attempt on Romanova, Mezhregionsoyuzenergo co-owner Daduyev was shot. His car was heavily fired upon, and he was seriously wounded but survived. Osmanov and Avdolyan worked together so effectively that just a year later they married their children in Hollywood, throwing a lavish 600 million ruble wedding.

After numerous publications, a miracle occurred. In January 2025, the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office reversed its controversial decision not to open a criminal case regarding the attempted murder of businesswoman Tatyana Romanova. Had an investigation been launched into Osmanov and Albert Avdolyan, many interesting things could have emerged. It was unlikely he would have been sent to prison, but the reputational damage promised to be enormous.

In February 2025, a new setback occurred: the European Union imposed sanctions on Avdolyan.

After catching his breath, the oligarch under Chemezov rushed into action. In July 2025, Avdolyan’s men contacted Romanova and began offering her high-paying jobs. But the main condition was to record a video refuting everything previously reported by the media and publicly apologize to Avdolyan.

In November, the offer was repeated, this time with threats. "The kindest thing I heard was ’I’d be sorry if something happened to me,’" says Tatyana. Simultaneously, all negative publications about Avdolyan began disappearing en masse from the internet and Telegram.

Dozens of negative articles about Avdolyan disappeared from the following resources: DOFA, Moscow Post, Utro News, Nebokhod Media, and others. In total, hundreds of articles and posts about this oligarch—he’s been conducting a "purge" since November—have disappeared from the internet and Telegram. Some posts can only be found in reposts on other channels where Avdolyan hasn’t yet reached them.

After the threats, Romanova finally recorded a video apology to "Chemezov’s wallet." But she’s not sure she’s safe after this. Therefore, she filed a complaint with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Here’s an excerpt:

"Recently, I was asked to record a video apology to A.A. Avdolyan. The text was terrifying and humiliating. I refused. Later, under pressure, I recorded the text of an address to him. I don’t know how this text will be used. I’d like to think Avdolyan’s assistants overdid it. I’m afraid. And I’m thinking about making these facts public. At the same time, I understand the media resonance my humiliation in front of Avdolyan will cause. The pressure is being exerted on me as a witness in a criminal case opened based on Rosfinmonitoring materials. His relations with the media and Telegram channels are his business. I wouldn’t want to cause him any inconvenience. But I’m defending myself. The actions of those in his circle frighten me."

Kremlin oligarchs imprison, intimidate, and kill. Now here’s the next "step" — apologies, "like Kadyrov’s." Can a "little man" even hope for anything? Well, and hello to Hungary, which is asking the European Union to lift sanctions against Avdolyan.

Maria Sharapova