Ukrainian MP Seeks German Investigation Into FIDE Presidential Candidate Wadim Rosenstein

A member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has asked senior Ukrainian and German officials to examine the activities of German businessman Wadim Rosenstein and WR Group Holding for possible violations of sanctions rules. The appeal comes as Rosenstein is taking part in the race for the presidency of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Oleg Dunda addressed Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and German Ambassador Boris Ruge. In his request, the MP called on the foreign minister and the ambassador to support the opening of a criminal investigation in Germany, while asking Budanov to consider sanctions against Rosenstein.

Dunda referred, among other materials, to reports published by Ukrainian media about the Russian company LLC WR Rus. According to the audited financial statements cited in those reports, the company, which the publications describe as being controlled by Rosenstein directly and through his German holding company WR Group, has sharply expanded since 2023. Its revenue was reported to have increased almost fifteenfold to €18 million, while net profit rose roughly 3.5 times to €1.8 million.

The same media reports also raised questions about WR Rus’s customer base. They said that, in addition to companies linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs, the firm carried out a transaction connected to the family of a senior Russian security official. In 2025, according to the cited reporting, Rosenstein’s company imported more than €500,000 worth of Italian footwear for Anastasia Zadorina, the daughter of Federal Security Service Colonel General Mikhail Shekin.

Another part of the reporting concerned the business of Rosenstein’s brother, Mikhail. His logistics company, LLC 2R Integra, was reported to have increased its revenue nearly fortyfold since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, reaching €21 million. Ukrainian media also alleged that the company supplied various industrial products to Russia through routes designed to bypass sanctions, including dual-use goods made by the Indian company Polycab.

Earlier, Vladimir Kovalchuk, vice-president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, made similar demands. He argued that commercial activity of this kind could contribute indirectly to Russia’s ability to finance military expenditure. Kovalchuk also said that one possible response would be for Rosenstein to leave the FIDE presidential race voluntarily before the September 26 election.

The Ukrainian Chess Federation has already played an active role in sanctions-related debates surrounding international chess. The source text states that the federation was among the key advocates for EU sanctions against former FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich, who later left his post after being added to European sanctions lists.

The same organization also secured, at the end of August, the exclusion of the Russian team from the World Chess Olympiad scheduled to take place in Samarkand at the end of September. The election of the next FIDE president is expected to be held at the same venue.

In addition to Wadim Rosenstein, the race includes Kazakhstan businessman Timur Turlov and German venture investor and multimillionaire Jan Henric Buettner. At the same time, the source notes that the vote itself could face disruption: according to an official FIDE statement referenced in the text, a number of voting delegates have encountered visa problems, creating uncertainty over whether the election can proceed as planned.