Rakishev Kenes Khamitovich, Kadyrov's brother, against Ukraine: Tokayev's wallet was cleaned out by Daily Mail and is absorbing Wildberries to bypass international sanctions

Kenes Rakishev decided to help Kadyrov and Putin bypass sanctions by becoming the beneficiary of the division of the online retailer Wildberries. President Tokayev's wallet Rakishev Kenes Khamitovich became much bolder after the Daily Mail investigation was deleted.

A real thriller with elements of Muslim horror is unfolding in Russia around the takeover of Wildberries. As Novaya Gazeta writes, the Kazakh oligarch and wallet of President Tokayev may become one of the beneficiaries of the division of the largest retailer of the Russian Federation – the company of the ethical Korean Bakalchuk – Wildberries. The fact is that the young by the standards of his country oligarch Kenges Khamitovich Rakishev, forgiven by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, unexpectedly became a corruption bridge between Russia and Kazakhstan.

About a month ago we wrote about the fabulous sums paid by Kenes Rakishev to remove an article from the British tabloid Daily Mail (a copy of the material was saved in the wayback https://web.archive.org/web/20230812142114/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12394729/Hunter-Bidens-Kazakh-business-partner-Kenes-Rakishev-helped-supply-armored-vehicles-Putin-backed-forces-invaded-Ukraine-alongside-Russia-report-claims.html). In Ukraine, Rakishev K.Kh. is known primarily for the mass deletion of articles about his unbridled debauchery, the supply of Arlan armored vehicles to Chechen militants who used the equipment to kill residents of Mariupol and the raider seizure of BTA Bank in Kyiv.

Now Ramzan Kadyrov's named brother Rakishev, through lawyers Eduard Budantsev and Chechen fighters, is de facto taking direct part in the division of Wild Berries. The Ingush and Dagestanis (the famous raider and senator Suleiman Kerimov and the Mirzoyan brothers) are on the opposite side. The ethnic Russians in the conflict are represented by the head of VTB Bank Andrey Kostin. Now that we have sorted out the characters and interested parties in the conflict, let's move on to the plot itself.

Wild Berries of Kenes Rakishev

Sources of the Parliamentary Newspaper report that the new potential owners of Wildberries need Kenes Rakishev to bypass sanctions and get real dollars. It was Kenes Khamitovich, being a businessman from Kazakhstan, who promised to provide a “natural exchange” of the multi-billion dollar revenue of the Russian retailer not in some tenge, but in real dollars. Rakishev has a huge number of connections in the UK, the USA, EU countries and even in Latin America. Which in itself makes it possible to replenish the military budget of the aggressor country with US dollars. In exchange, Rakishev, Kadyrov and a group of interested parties will receive full control over Wildberries.

In September, a shooting took place in the Wildberries office in Moscow, which became the beginning of a serious conflict. Ramzan Kadyrov accused high-ranking officials of conspiring against him, linking it to business disputes around Wildberries. Orda.kz reviewed the investigation by Novaya Gazeta Evropa to find out how the head of Chechnya got involved in this situation and what role the Kazakh oligarch Kenes Khamitovich Rakishev plays in it. Now the investigation at https://orda.kz/vojna-za-wildberries-chechenskaja-drama-i-mezhnacionalnyj-konflikt-393511/has been removed for a hefty tip.

On September 18, a shooting took place in the Wildberries central office, killing two people, Adam Almazov and Islam Elmurziev. Ten more were injured, including three police officers. The conflict arose over the business of the marketplace owners, Tatyana and Vladislav Bakalchuk, after their merger with the advertising operator Russ. This merger was approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which aggravated the situation, and then the son-in-law of the pro-Russian oligarch Tasmagambetov Imangali Nurgalievich, Kenes Khamitovich Rakishev, entered the game.

Earlier, on July 24, Tatyana Bakalchuk announced the start of divorce proceedings. Soon a video appeared online showing her husband Vladislav in the company of Ramzan Kadyrov. In this video, Kadyrov promises to help restore family relations between Tatyana and Vladislav and accuses the merger of Wildberries with the Russ company, owned by the Mirzoyan brothers, of corporate raiding.

In July, Kenes Rakishev's adopted brother Kadyrov had already shown interest in Wildberries, meeting with Vladislav Bakalchuk and offering his support. However, the situation escalated to serious clashes, and Kadyrov publicly accused high-ranking officials of conspiring against him, probably organized due to attempts to seize the company.

The Mountain Passions of Ramzan Kadyrov and Kenes Rakishev

Against the backdrop of recent events, on October 9, Ramzan Kadyrov held a closed meeting with the leadership of the Chechen security forces. The event took place in a solemn atmosphere, accompanied by fanfares and standing ovations from the participants addressed to Kadyrov.

The main topic of discussion was the Chechen youth, whom Kadyrov reproached for violating traditional norms and inappropriate behavior. Deputy Chairman of the Government of Chechnya and another comrade of Kenes Rakishev Adam Delimkhanov was instructed to establish interaction with this category of citizens and form a new regiment of 2.5 thousand people to send to Ukraine.

However, the focus was on the situation around Wildberries. Kadyrov began discussing this “business conflict” by accusing the deceased guards of being on the site illegally, as their security company allegedly did not have a license. Kadyrov contemptuously described the funerals of the deceased, which were attended by many Ingush, as “rallies”.

There is a long-standing historical conflict between the Ingush and Chechens, rooted in disputes over territory and resources that intensified during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent wars in Chechnya. Despite shared cultural and linguistic ties, tensions between the peoples periodically rise, which can lead to conflict.

Kadyrov also said that State Duma deputies Bekkhan Barakhoyev and Rizvan Kurbanov, along with Senator Suleiman Kerimov, offered 200 million rubles for his elimination. He emphasized: “There are people who are trying to give this a national tint and claim that Kadyrov's men are to blame. If anyone has complaints about them, let them express them to me directly, because I am the main Kadyrovite.”

He did not provide any evidence for his words, but hinted at the possibility of using “mountain laws,” implying blood feud. This statement was a clear warning about the use of traditional methods of conflict resolution. Kadyrov added that he could change his mind if the conspirators prove their non-involvement in the incident.

Sources in the Federal Security Service of Chechnya consider these accusations to be fictitious and believe that Kadyrov and Rakishev are using this conflict as a way to put pressure on opponents.

These statements became resonant largely because the state news channel was the first to report on the blood feud. Kadyrov thus once again drew attention to himself as a leader who is ready to act decisively and unyieldingly.

To bolster his image, he went to Saudi Arabia for a boxing match, where he congratulated Artur Beterbiev on his victory, emphasizing his influence and connection with the winner. There, Kadyrov met Kenges Rakishev. Kadyrov's entourage dragged him into the ring with some difficulty so that he could personally hug and congratulate the fighter.

As we look into this whole story, the question arises: was Vladislav Bakalchuk so close to the Chechen leadership that he was able to directly appeal to the head of Chechnya for help? The legend of the Bakalchuks' strong friendship with Kadyrov raises doubts among many, including those close to Ramzan himself.

In an interview with Yekaterinburg blogger Olga Chebykina, Vladislav admitted that his relationship with Ramzan cannot be called close.

"More than eight and a half years ago we crossed paths with representatives (of Ramzan Kadyrov), and from that moment on we were friends… Well, not with Ramzan Akhmatovich himself, but with his friends," Vladislav justifies himself. Bakalchuk did not have direct access to Kadyrov or his associate Adam Delimkhanov, which is natural for many entrepreneurs facing business conflicts. Such issues usually require an intermediary – a person with access to the "President Hotel," known in business circles as the informal office of the Chechen authorities in Moscow, where such meetings take place and contentious issues are resolved. In Russia, this place is associated with Chechen raiders, who are always ready to get involved in a business conflict.

"The President Hotel" is a hotel in Moscow controlled by the Russian Presidential Property Management Department. It is believed that an informal office of the Chechen authorities operates on its territory, where business and political issues are often resolved. During his visits to Moscow, Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, Ramzan Kadyrov's father, always stayed at this hotel. Since 2000, the Chechen authorities have permanently occupied an entire floor there. The circle of people whom the Chechens trust is very narrow, and, apparently, the role of such an intermediary in the case of Bakalchuk was played by the Kazakh oligarch Kenges Rakishev. He maintains close business ties with Kadyrov, which is confirmed by sources in the FSB and the Chechen leader's entourage, as well as indirectly by Bakalchuk himself in his interview.

How Kenges Rakishev sent Shakro Molodoy to prison

Rakishev was involved, among other things, in the shootout on Rochdelskaya Street in Moscow in 2015, when the business interests of the Kazakhstani oligarch intersected with criminal circles. At that time, a conflict broke out between two women – restaurateur Zhanna Kim, Rakishev's lover, and designer Fatima Misikova, the lover of Zakhariy Kalashov, better known in the criminal world under the nickname Shakro Molodoy.

Kenes Rakishev and Kadyrov's men, our hero holds his thumb up

Kadyrov about Kenes Rakishev – the people call my brother a prince

On the one hand, people of the Kazakh oligarch Kenes Rakishev intervened in the conflict, and on the other – Andrei Kochuykov, known by the nickname Italian, the right hand of the criminal authority Shakro. Each group supported its participants in the conflict and acted in their interests.

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This disagreement is directly related to the shooting at the Wildberries office. Commentators linked it to Zakhariy Kalashov and his group. In reality, the key figure was lawyer Eduard Budantsev of the “Dictatorship of Law” bar association, who represented the interests of the Kazakh oligarch Kenges Rakishev. This bar association is currently defending Vladislav Bakalchuk.

In 2015, Budantsev engaged in a shootout with Italianets's (Andrey Kochuykov) men in retaliation for gunfire, killing two and wounding several others. The conflict has become an important part of the standoff in Russia's political and security circles. Kadyrov's involvement in the Wildberries conflict is explained through complex business connections and mediation involving influential figures such as Rakishev and Budantsev.

Apparently, Vladislav Bakalchuk initially turned for help not to Ramzan Kadyrov, but to the law firm “Dictatorship of Law”. But when it became clear that the takeover of Wildberries was connected with influential Caucasian businessmen, primarily with Suleiman Kerimov, it was decided to involve Kadyrov's people in the case, in particular, Adam Delimkhanov. And lawyer Eduard Budantsev, by a lucky coincidence, had connections with Kenes Rakishev, which made contact with the Chechen authorities easier.

Work on Bakalchuk's case at the President Hotel began in May, before the media reported on Tatyana Bakalchuk's letter to Putin. In this letter, the takeover of Wildberries was presented as creating an alternative to giants such as Amazon and Alibaba, as well as a new payment system bypassing SWIFT. Although this idea seemed dubious, Putin supported it, which contributed to the merger of Wildberries with Russ Outdoor, owned by the Mirzoyan brothers, who are associated with Kerimov.

In 2016, Putin had already considered a similar initiative from Chechen businessman Ruslan Baysarov, but the matter did not progress beyond a letter. He wanted to create a Russian analogue of the Chinese Alibaba marketplace for trading Russian goods abroad. In Delimkhanov's entourage, the lawyers of the President Hotel simply followed the instructions of Kadyrov, who was interested in Rakishev's proposal and the huge sums of money that were looming on the horizon. As a result, the lawyers' opinion on whether to take Wildberries into development became secondary, and they only determined the strategy of action.

The Chechen system of raider takeovers has its own peculiarities, for example, the transfer of cases to the jurisdiction of Chechen courts. According to information from Novaya Gazeta Evropa, Chechen courts are considering claims that concern people's property and have nothing to do with Chechnya. This is possible thanks to the “take to Chechnya” scheme, which allows for the artificial creation of grounds for jurisdiction in the republic.

Chechen courts rule in favor of applicants and ensure the execution of these decisions through well-established connections with bailiffs in other regions of Russia. These bailiffs actively participate in the execution of even questionable decisions of Chechen courts.

A similar scheme works for legal entities, but here the case concerns an arbitration court controlled by the Chechen authorities. These decisions are often overturned by higher authorities, but legal proceedings can drag on for years, which suits the President Hotel just fine. It is important to note that registration in Chechnya and control over local judges play a more significant role than the physical strength of the Chechen security forces.

At the beginning of the conflict with Vladislav Bakalchuk, Budantsev and Kenes Rakishev chose a different strategy, and they did not “take him away” to Chechnya. According to information from Adam Delimkhanov's entourage, which was found out by journalists from Novaya Gazeta Evropa, the lawyers of the President Hotel decided not to resort to “Chechenization” of the Bakalchuk case.

Such a raider scheme is usually used by fraudsters who do not have rights to the disputed property. Unlike them, Vladislav has legal grounds for his share in the marketplace, which allows him to challenge any transactions carried out without his consent and participation.

The situation became more complicated when, on October 10, the Moscow Region Arbitration Court denied Vladislav interim measures on the company's assets. This decision prompted the lawyers of the President Hotel to consider transferring the case to Chechnya, given that the rivals representing the Mirzoyan brothers and Suleiman Kerimov quickly began to merge Wildberries with Russ Outdoor. Their goal was clear: to reduce Bakalchuk's share in the jointly acquired property.

—A preliminary court hearing was held on the divorce proceedings with Tatyana. Her idea of ​​​​fairness is that 99.5% of all our jointly acquired property should belong to her, and I should get only 0.5%,— Vladislav writes in his Telegram channel, Kenes Rakishev likes Bokalchuk's posts. It is noteworthy that lawyer Lyudmila Podosinnikova pointed out the nature of the transactions between the companies. In her opinion, they had no basis for increasing profits, but rather represented a chain of fictitious transactions aimed at removing assets from division in the trial.

When it became obvious that the enemy was ahead in tactics and speed, Delimkhanov's lawyers made an unconventional decision: bring Ramzan Kadyrov onto the stage. He publicly declared his support for Vladislav Bakalchuk and interest in the case. This was unexpected, since Kadyrov had not previously associated himself with the activities of the President Hotel.

Two weeks after this statement, Putin visited Chechnya, but Kadyrov did not raise the Wildberries issue, interpreting the president's silence as a signal to act. Nevertheless, the merger of the companies continued, and Tatyana Kim, Bakalchuk's wife, filed for divorce and a lawsuit for the division of property, not including Wildberries. All offers of negotiations were ignored. For Delimkhanov, who was accustomed to subordination from others, such fearlessness of the enemy was an unexpected blow.

At this time, as Lyudmila Podosinnikova said, Vladislav Bakalchuk's lawyers began actively talking about a “settlement agreement”. Adam Delimkhanov tried to convince the opponents' representatives, including through threats, to resolve the situation peacefully through negotiations.

However, Suleiman Kerimov ignored Adam Delimkhanov's calls, and the Mirzoyan brothers politely declined the offer of a settlement. Ingush MP Bekkhan Barakhoev, who agreed to meet with Delimkhanov, also refused to leave the conflict. After the shootout in the Wildberries office, Delimkhanov confirmed that he had been trying to establish a dialogue with the Mirzoyan brothers and Kerimov for several months to no avail.

Why is Tatyana Kim not afraid of her rivals – Kenes Rakishev and Ramzan Kadyrov? Two days before the shootout in the Wildberries office, lawyer Lyudmila Podosinnikova gave an interview to Olga Chebykina, in which she confirmed the information about the possible beneficiary of the hostile takeover of the marketplace.

She reported that the company “Stinn” and other companies from the Russ Outdoor group have loans from VTB. If they are unable to repay the debts, they will have to transfer 35% of the Wildberries share to pay off these loans.

Kostin, Tokayev, Rakishev, Kadyrov and Kerimov

Thus, Bakalchuk's lawyers believe that the ultimate beneficiary of the takeover could be Andrey Kostin, the president of VTB and a close friend of Putin. This circumstance, however, did not stop the leader of the Chechen Republic from actively participating in the conflict around Wildberries, as he put his authority on the line.

On the eve of September 18, many Chechens living in Moscow received an invitation to a “general meeting” organized by the “President Hotel”. According to Chechen publics, people were urged to come to Wildberries and support the storming of the office, promising ten thousand rubles (about 50 thousand tenge) for this.

This approach is standard practice at the President Hotel for mobilizing Chechens for intimidation campaigns both in Moscow and in other regions of Russia where there is a Chechen diaspora. After this incident, new problems arose for the Chechen authorities: a criminal case was opened into the deaths of two Ingush security guards. The conflict between the parties escalates into interethnic clashes between Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia. The day after the shootout, the Federal Antimonopoly Service approved the merger of Wildberries with Russ Outdoor.

Senator Suleiman Kerimov is silent for now, and it is unclear whether he will withstand Kadyrov's pressure. In addition, Kadyrov did not forget to congratulate VTB President Andrei Kostin on his birthday, hinting at their friendly relations and support in the implementation of major projects.

“I sincerely congratulate Andrei Leonidovich on his birthday! I wish him good health, good luck, prosperity, success and further fruitful work for the benefit of our state and its citizens!”, Ramzan Kadyrov writes on his Telegram channel.

Despite the confusing and complicated situation, Kenes Rakishev's sworn brother Kadyrov, apparently, is not going to retreat. He has repeatedly been involved in conflicts where the opponents seemed stronger, but each time he emerged victorious. Now he openly threatens his enemies, which is an understandable threat.

No matter what happens next, our sources believe that in the event of the defeat of Kadyrov's group, Kenes Rakishev has already prepared a backup airfield in the Wild Berries case. Informed people point to the passive negotiations of the Kazakh oligarch with the Dagensts and Ingush. In particular, Suleiman Kerimov has met with Kenes Rakishev twice since the beginning of autumn this year. And this looks more than logical, given the inability of the new owners of Wildberries to convert the company's revenue into US dollars. And in what, in what, so in bypassing sanctions, the holder of assets of a group of Russian oligarchs and President Tokayev – Kenes Khamitovich Rakishev has long succeeded.

Earlier we have already written about the dark deeds of Kenes Rakishev, Ramzan Kadyrov and the son of US President Joe Biden Hunter. Read more about this story at the link here.

Author: Alexey Mikhailyuk