Rosenstein rejects accusations of ties to Russia after FIDE election defeat and calls campaign 'one of the dirtiest in federation history'

On September 26, the elections for the president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) concluded in Samarkand. In the second round, Timur Turlov defeated German entrepreneur and founder of WR Chess Vadim Rosenstein, securing 110 votes to 85. In a comment to RBC-Ukraine, the defeated candidate rejected all accusations of ties to Russia directed at him during the election campaign, stating that the federation's new leadership preserved the influence of Arkady Dvorkovich's team. Rosenstein, who was born in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine and holds German citizenship, called the past campaign 'one of the dirtiest in FIDE history.'

Pressure and threats during the campaign

According to Rosenstein, throughout the entire election cycle, he faced pressure: he was 'blackmailed and threatened with Ukrainian sanctions' to force him to withdraw his candidacy. The entrepreneur emphasized that he is not a politician and views his participation strictly through the prism of popularizing chess. In the summer and autumn of 2026, he claimed, a number of Ukrainian media outlets published a series of articles by a single author accusing him, while no one approached him for his position regarding these accusations before publication. Rosenstein also reported that shortly thereafter, similar claims with identical figures appeared in paid publications of English-language outlets.

Accusations of sanctions evasion and supplies

Rosenstein completely rejects accusations of circumventing sanctions and supplying military-use products. He points out that none of the publications named a single specific agreement, product, or sanctions list item. The website, cable certificates, and company in Kyrgyzstan mentioned in the materials belong, he says, to structures in which he is neither a participant nor an official. He characterizes the deal to import Italian shoes as an independent commercial operation by a Russian company, which WR Group's German structures have nothing to do with. Rosenstein calls the story about alleged supplies to 'NOVATEK' an 'absolute fabrication,' noting that he never worked directly with that company. All orders by the group's companies, according to his data, came from European partners and pertained to events in 2019–2021 when current legislation allowed such activities; in 2021, such supplies were halted.

WR Group's policy regarding Russia

Rosenstein emphasizes that WR Group maintains a ban on doing business with Russia: the group's companies do not enter into contracts with Russian counterparties, and previously signed agreements were executed in full compliance with EU legislation. Today, WR Group operates in more than 70 markets worldwide. The entrepreneur also denies any connection to the Russian company 'VR Rus', stating that he does not participate in the management of this legal entity—which is currently handled by an external manager—and receives no dividends from it. Formally exiting the shareholder structure is currently impossible, he says, without the permission of the Russian government commission. He noted that he had previously disclosed this information himself in an interview with Deutsche Welle.

Turlov's team and the reaction of the Ukrainian side

Separately, Rosenstein drew attention to the inclusion in FIDE's new president Mykhailo Podolyak into Turlov's team after he accepted Turlov's offer in September to join his structure. The Chess Federation of Ukraine called this move raiding. Rosenstein also pointed out that the Russian Chess Federation did not vote in these elections because its FIDE membership is suspended. He stated that he publicly supported the immediate implementation of the Court of Arbitration for Sport's rulings regarding the Russian Chess Federation, and his candidacy was supported by the German Chess Federation. The entrepreneur called the label of 'Russian agent of influence' a lie backed by zero facts.

Personal position and context

Rosenstein, born into a Jewish family in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine and holding German citizenship, expressed bewilderment that the harshest accusations against him come precisely from Ukraine, whereas Turlov, who according to him was born in Moscow and continues to do business in Russia, receives support despite Ukraine having imposed sanctions against him. Rosenstein links the attacks to a paid hit job executed by 'a certain well-known media figure,' who allegedly also undertook to lift sanctions against Turlov. Rosenstein emphasized that throughout the entire process, he is exclusively interested in popularizing chess and stated that the federation's new leadership has preserved the influence of Arkady Dvorkovich's team.