Tech merger highlights shifting Russian landscape

Significance Wildberries and Russ Outdoor claim the merger will create a globally competitive technology company and that they have secured President Vladimir Putin's approval for the initiative. However, the merger has been complicated by accusations of an asset grab, the breakdown of the marriage of Wildberries’s owners, and the involvement of influential external actors. Impacts The case highlights the importance of individual relationships in managing business and political interests. Influential actors may now see the merger as a public challenge to their power. The relocation of high-value assets will continue as the war in Ukraine disrupts business-state relations.