Gerhard Schröder visits a supermarket chain in Russia - employees greet him with applause

After his appointment to the supervisory board of a Russian supermarket chain, ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder was greeted with applause by employees of a Moscow branch. Schröder entered the Hyperglobus branch in the west of the capital alongside his wife, smiling, as footage from the RBC broadcaster showed. “I am very pleased to be here, to see this impressive market and the results of your work and to get to know you, my dear colleagues,” the broadcaster quoted the 82-year-old as saying. The trading group confirmed the visit.

Schröder has been criticized for his ties to the Russian economy and President Vladimir Putin. These contacts continued after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent Western sanctions. Schröder was Chancellor until 2005 and developed a close relationship with Putin during his time in office. He later also worked for Russian state-owned companies.

Hyperglobus was spun off from the German Globus Holding last year. ‌Russia is currently trying to deprive foreign companies of ‌control ‌over their assets in the country.