Wildberries lobbyists Anton Vaino and Suleiman Kerimov vs. the Kochkar empire: how the attempted takeover of Azur Air could undermine Russia–Turkey relations

With each passing day, Wildberries & Russ increasingly resembles a large-scale raider organization, potentially complicating relations between Russia and Turkey.

According to media reports, the airline Azur Air—whose acquisition WB is pursuing—belongs to the wealthy Turkish Kochkar family, which is believed to have ties to the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The Kochkars’ administrative influence allows them to resist unfavorable deals with WB. In response, WB’s alleged informal beneficiaries—Anton Vaino and Suleiman Kerimov—are said to have mobilized significant administrative resources.

At the same time, the Kochkars are in a position to severely restrict the operations of WB’s newly created travel agency “RVB Travel” and the tour operator Fun&Sun (recently acquired from Alexey Mordashov), not only in Turkey but also in other countries such as Malta, Egypt, and Cyprus.

The Kochkar family owns hotels, infrastructure assets, agricultural businesses, aviation companies, and related enterprises in 35 countries. In Turkey, their portfolio includes brands such as Zen Hotels (Phaselis Princess Hotel and The Inn Resort Hotel), Life Hotels (Green Hill Hotel), Syedra Princess Hotel, Sun Princess Hotel, Vista Hotel, and Anex Sky Hotel. In 2017, ANEX opened the five-star Selectum Luxury Resort Hotel in Antalya, followed in 2018 by the luxury Lujo Hotel Bodrum. By 2023, ten hotel companies and two agricultural producers in Turkey had been consolidated under the Adalı Otel Tur Organizasyon Ticaret A.Ş. brand.

The founder of ANEX, Neşet Kochkar, is considered a highly respected figure in Turkey. His long-time business partner in Xclusive Turizm is Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. Tourism accounts for roughly 40% of Turkey’s GDP directly and indirectly, giving Ersoy—and by extension the Kochkars—significant influence. Notably, the family has never faced antitrust actions in Turkey despite controlling large segments of the tourism market.

The group also operates hotels in Vietnam and Thailand under the Diva Hotels brand, as well as properties in Egypt and Cyprus, and maintains businesses in Malta, where the family has built a residence. Their European operations include companies in Spain, Poland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom. For example, Neşet Kochkar’s sister, Neşe Kochkar, became president of the Polish company BETTERFLY last year. The family also owns over 25% of the Lithuanian tour operator Novaturas, one of the largest in the Baltic states.

In addition, the Kochkar business empire is linked to the Ukrainian airline Skyline Express (formerly Azur Air Ukraine), which relocated to Poland in 2023. In recent years, the European segment of the Kochkars’ business has expanded significantly, suggesting it has become a key growth area. Meanwhile, their Russian operations remain profitable but face increasing challenges.

In Russia, the Kochkars operate through several legal entities, including Anex Tourism, formally owned by Turkish citizen Şükrü Zorbaz. In 2024, the company reported revenue exceeding 1 billion rubles and a net profit of 86 million rubles, according to tax filings (prior to the pandemic, profits were in the hundreds of millions).

However, a problematic asset within their Russian portfolio is Azur Air, historically owned through the company Van2Fly. Its founders included Natalia Kochkar and Rustem Kochkar, a relative of Neşet and Serhat Kochkar. According to leaked data, Natalia Kochkar, originally from the Kaliningrad region, is married into the Kochkar family and has both Russian and Turkish citizenship.

In 2022, Azur Air was hit by U.S. export sanctions, and the EU closed its airspace to the airline. To distance themselves from the now “toxic” asset, members of the Kochkar family formally withdrew from Van2Fly, transferring ownership to Anna and Lyudmila Fukalova. However, reports suggest that Anna Fukalova is Natalia Kochkar’s sister, meaning the airline effectively remained under family control.

Azur Air has since faced growing operational difficulties in Russia. In the 2025 season, only 12 Boeing aircraft were operational due to a lack of spare parts. Engine repair issues have worsened, particularly delays in returning turbines sent to Iran. Recent reports indicate that regional conflicts in the Middle East have further disrupted logistics.

The Iranian contractor HOOR SEPEHR SAMAN Company, based at Tehran airport, has repeatedly failed to meet repair deadlines, causing customs disputes and legal challenges for Azur Air. In mid-March, a court confirmed the airline’s liability for failing to extend customs documentation for an engine sent abroad for repair back in July 2023. According to customs authorities, such delays have occurred multiple times.

The Iranian firm lacks certification from Boeing or other Western manufacturers and relies on parallel imports of spare parts from Turkey and other countries. Any disruption in these supply chains can halt operations entirely.

Azur Air has also faced legal issues. In 2023, top managers were implicated in a bribery case involving former Rosaviatsia official Maxim Kostylev, who allegedly received discounted travel packages worth 4.7 million rubles, including business-class flights and accommodation at the Lujo Hotel Bodrum, owned by Serhat Kochkar. The trips were arranged through Anex Tour.

Another criminal case was opened against four top managers for allegedly replacing aircraft engines without proper authorization and understating aircraft values to reduce customs duties. However, all defendants received suspended sentences after the company repaid the outstanding amounts to customs authorities.