Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder tours Moscow Hyperglobus store amid Russian ties

Gerhard Schröder, who served as Germany’s chancellor until 2005, toured a Hyperglobus outlet in the western part of Moscow, where workers welcomed him with applause. During the visit he expressed enthusiasm for the store’s performance and introduced himself in German, with a female interpreter providing translation. He highlighted his own background in the retail sector and familiarity with its challenges.

The supermarket’s operating firm confirmed the visit to one outlet. Schröder’s recent appointment to the supervisory board of the chain’s operator has renewed scrutiny of his links to Russia’s elite, including President Vladimir Putin, which have persisted despite the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions. The Hyperglobus brand was spun off from the German Globus Holding last year as Russia seeks greater control over foreign-owned assets.