Close relatives and allies of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov have acquired massive personal wealth through the Kremlin's seizure of Western businesses, according to an investigation by the Explainer project reported by The Moscow Times.
The investigation details how the takeover of Danone's Russian operations allowed Kadyrov’s nephew, Yakub Zakriev, and former assistant Ruslan Alisultanov to amass fortunes worth millions of dollars.
Following the state-sponsored seizure of the French food giant’s operations, Zakriev was appointed head of Danone Russia in July 2023. The company was subsequently rebranded as “Logika Moloka.”
By November 2023, Zakriev purchased a luxury estate in Moscow's elite “Millennium Park” settlement, valued at approximately 1 billion rubles ($13.3 million). The property was registered under his unemployed wife's name.
Leaked bank records show Zakriev opened a Gazprombank deposit account in early 2024 containing 1.5 billion rubles ($20 million), which generated 224 million rubles ($2.98 million) in interest alone.
Zakriev previously served as the Mayor of Grozny and Chechnya’s Minister of Agriculture. His monthly salary has jumped from roughly 1.3 million rubles ($17,333) to as much as 14 million rubles ($186,666) including bonuses.
Alisultanov's multi-million dollar windfall
Ruslan Alisultanov, a former assistant to Kadyrov, has seen even more dramatic financial gains. Alisultanov is listed as the sole beneficiary of the rebranded dairy company.
In 2024, Alisultanov opened a Gazprombank deposit holding over 4 billion rubles ($53.3 million). He also purchased a penthouse near the Kremlin valued at 3 billion rubles ($40 million).
Before the corporate takeover, Alisultanov earned a monthly salary of just 79,000 rubles ($1,053) while working at the Chechen Ministry of Agriculture.
The takeover occurred after Vladimir Putin signed a decree in July 2023 transferring temporary management of Danone’s shares to the state property agency, Rosimushchestvo. The assets were then funneled to Health & Nutrition (H&N), a firm 99% owned by Alisultanov.
Danone had operated in Russia since 1992 and employed over 100,000 people. The company decided to exit the market following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The investigation also highlighted the arrest of journalist Oleg Roldugin. Sources within Explainer claim Roldugin was arrested on charges of “illegal access to computer information” to protect Kadyrov’s associates from exposure.
