Russian-born Kazakhstani billionaire Timur Turlov is the new president of world chess. His election has divided Ukrainian officials, and Russia has abruptly dropped its case against him.

The election of a new head of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) has sparked a political scandal in Ukraine. Ukraine’s national chess federation criticized the choice of Timur Turlov, a Kazakhstani businessman who lived and did business in Russia for many years. But Turlov received unexpected support from Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of President Zelensky’s office. A week later, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office withdrew its lawsuit seeking to seize Turlov’s income for the Russian state. Writing for Meduza, Ukrainian journalist Konstantin Skorkin explains everything that