The Ministry of Internal Affairs has declared the founder of the Anderson family café chain wanted. She has spoken out in criticism of the authorities.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has declared the founder of the Anderson family café chain, Anastasiya Tatulova, wanted. This was reported by Mediazona, citing the ministry’s database.

The article under which the entrepreneur is being sought is unknown. There have been no reports of a criminal case being initiated against her.

In November 2022, Tatulova, who until the summer of that year served as ombudsman for the protection of small and medium-sized businesses, announced mass tax inspections at several Anderson cafés. She described what was happening as “a large-scale operation for my final expulsion from the country.” Later, the businesswoman sold Anderson to the retailer Vkusvill.

Before that, in June, State Duma deputy Yevgeny Fedorov, from the United Russia party, demanded an investigation into Tatulova “because of statements and actions” during her time as ombudsman. Mediazona reported that the entrepreneur had called the war “a tragedy” and “a terrible dark time” on social media. On 9 May, she wrote: “Let there be peace.”

In April 2024, the Justice Ministry labelled her a “foreign agent” because of her anti-war stance and for living outside Russia. She was also accused of collaborating with other “foreign agents” and distributing their materials.

In December of that year and in April this year, Tatulova was fined under charges for publishing posts without the “foreign agent” label (part 4 of article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences). She was also issued a protocol for conducting “foreign agent” activities without self-reporting (part 1 of article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences).