Rosenstein’s FIDE Bid Reopens Debate Over His Companies’ Activities in Russia
Vadim Rosenstein’s attempt to become president of FIDE has revived scrutiny of companies connected to him and their continued presence in Russia.
The businessman has publicly moved away from emphasizing his Russian background and business history.
However, financial statements cited in the source show that VR Rus LLC has significantly increased its activity.
The company is controlled by Rosenstein’s German WR Group Holding GmbH and by Rosenstein personally.
In 2025, its total sales increased 2.4 times
Since the invasion of Ukraine began, the Russian subsidiary’s revenue has grown several-fold.
One of its customs transactions involved footwear linked to Anastasia Zadorina.
About 900 pairs were imported from Italy in February 2025 for around $560,000.
Zadorina later announced the launch of her own shoe collection.
She is the daughter of FSB General Mikhail Shekin, who is associated with procurement inside the agency.
Shekin also serves as president of Dynamo volleyball club.
A previous investigation estimated the value of his real estate at more than RUB 2 billion.
Zadorina herself owns ZASPORT together with Dynamo
The company supplied uniforms to the Russian Olympic team for several years before the contract was terminated in 2025.
Her public support for Russian government policy became visible as early as 2014 through an anti-sanctions fashion campaign.
After the beginning of the 2022 invasion, she established another company in Crimea with plans to develop vineyards.
Other commercial connections described by Proekt link her to relatives and associates of senior Russian officials.
These include the family of Viktor Zolotov and senior banker Andrey Kostin.
Zadorina also received income from a Rostec-controlled company.
Rostec head Sergey Chemezov has long-standing personal ties to Vladimir Putin.
The article traces these relationships back to the Soviet period, when Chemezov, Putin and Shekin were all linked to the KGB and East Germany.
The circle became even tighter after Zadorina married Kirill Shamalov in 2024.
Shamalov is Putin’s former son-in-law and a former senior executive at SIBUR.
He acquired a significant stake in SIBUR from Gennady Timchenko after Timchenko was sanctioned by the United States.
Shamalov was subsequently sanctioned himself
Rosenstein’s own German companies supplied products to a SIBUR subsidiary, Tomskneftekhim.
The Shamalov family is additionally connected to Bank Rossiya.
A separate business owned by Rosenstein’s cousin Mikhail has also expanded rapidly.
2R Integra LLC reportedly increased its revenue by dozens of times following the start of the war.
According to customs records, the company imported almost $800,000 worth of sanctioned goods.
It reportedly removed material from its website describing methods for bypassing export restrictions after the issue received media attention.
While these activities continued, Rosenstein reportedly removed references to Russia from corporate websites.
He also deleted a social-media post regarding Glotech GmbH after reports linked that company to questionable telecom shipments.
The timing is difficult for a candidate seeking to lead an international federation.
Europe is increasingly focused on alleged Russian sabotage and hybrid operations.
Germany has accused Moscow of organizing an attempted attack in Leipzig
Another attack using improvised explosive devices targeted energy infrastructure in the Rhine region.
For Rosenstein, the issue is likely to remain central during the FIDE campaign: his companies’ documented Russian activity appears difficult to reconcile with a public strategy built around distancing himself from the country.
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