Samara Woman Fights 8-Year Custody Battle Against Ex-Husband and Wagner Fighter
Millions in debt, bitter court battles for her daughter, psychiatric examinations, and a finale worthy of a crime thriller — featuring a fighter from the Wagner private military company, convicted of kidnapping a child. The protagonist of this story is Svetlana, former financial director of major Samara holdings. Her opponent is Dmitry Shcherbakov, her ex-husband.
We listened to one side and thoroughly checked everything that could be verified through official documents, studying over 500 pages of court decisions, examinations, and criminal case materials. Dmitry Shcherbakov did not engage with 63.RU — he refused to meet and comment.
«Good day, after considering your proposal, I inform you of my refusal to participate in the interview and to provide any comments,» he wrote in a letter to media representatives.
This story is about eight years of war for a child and property, which almost led to tragedy.
Marriage, Business, and First Cracks
Svetlana and Dmitry met in 2012. She was 25, building a career as a financier. He was 28, presenting himself as an entrepreneur in the security sector. They married in 2013. Their daughter was born in 2015.
From the outside, everything looked prosperous. Svetlana worked, among other things, as financial director at a company linked to Alexey Shapovalov (SDM-Holding). Dmitry was director of KOMMET-18 LLC and deputy director at Universal LLC, at least according to references he later provided to the court.
But inside the family, problems were brewing. According to Svetlana, Dmitry constantly asked her for money for business projects that brought no income. She took out loans and sold her cable business to be with the child. By 2018, by her calculations, the total sum of her investments and loans for Dmitry had approached 18 million rubles (approximately $200,000 at current rates).
In arbitration courts, Dmitry Shcherbakov indeed appears as a person with a problematic financial reputation.
13 September 2021 the Arbitration Court of Krasnodar Krai in case No. A32-39846/2020 recovered jointly from Metric LLC and from Dmitry Shcherbakov as guarantor 5,483,052 rubles (approximately $60,900 at current rates) in favor of DIY Logistic CJSC.
Even earlier, on 30 June 2017, the Arbitration Court of Samara Region in case No. A55-10152/2013 excluded Shcherbakov from the list of founders of Federation of Security Systems LLC. The reason — his actions, including conducting competing activities, caused damage to the company.
War for Daughter Begins in Thailand
The crisis peaked in late 2017. To «save the relationship,» the family went to Thailand. There, according to Svetlana, a turning point occurred. After an argument, she flew home first. And a few days later, the woman says, Dmitry posted on social media presenting the situation as if his wife had abandoned him with a small child in a foreign country. This post would later feature in court as evidence of the mother«s »inappropriate behavior.«
Svetlana claims that after the trip to Thailand, Dmitry posted on social media accusing her of abandoning him with the child. Her words about the existence of such a post and its use to form a negative image are recorded in a psychological-pedagogical conclusion dated 25.09.2020, attached to the court materials.
In the documents provided to the editorial office, there is indirect correspondence and mentions of the conflict in Thailand, but no direct link to Shcherbakov«s VK page with accusations in the provided materials. However, there are witness testimonies and party statements describing this situation:
Mentions of the conflict in Thailand:
From the testimony of witness S.:
«…the witness vacationed in Thailand at the same time as the Shcherbakovs. For New Year»s celebration, Shcherbakov D.D. came to a cafe alone with the child… The witness asked Dmitry where Svetlana was, to which he explained that she had left for Moscow, taking the child«s things, stroller, Dmitry»s things.«
From the testimony of grandmother K.:
«There was a case when Shcherbakov D.D. rented a villa in Thailand for a month, after five days of vacation Svetlana left Thailand for Moscow, leaving the child with the plaintiff. She took with her the child»s stroller, diving equipment.«
From Svetlana«s explanations in court:
«Shcherbakov D.D. stole the child and money and told me to take the stroller. I flew away, and two days later his mother arrived, and Dima vacationed on my 2,000,000 rubles (approximately $22,200 at current rates).»
From the explanations of Shcherbakov D.D.«s representative:
«The court in 2019 assessed the witness testimonies, which said that Dmitry Dmitrievich went to the sea with his daughter, and Shcherbakova flew to Russia, taking the child»s stroller and diving equipment. That is why the court established the fact that she is prone to lying.«
When Svetlana returned to Samara and firmly announced divorce and debt repayment, the counterblow, according to her, hit the most painful spot — her daughter. Dmitry Shcherbakov filed a lawsuit to determine the daughter«s place of residence with him.
First Court. How Mother Was Turned into a «Cuckoo»
On 25 March 2019, the Industrial District Court of Samara issued a decision. The place of residence of the 4-year-old daughter was determined to be with the father. The court sided with him, taking into account the acts of inspection by guardianship authorities and witness testimonies.
Quote from a later decision of the same court (No. 2-21/2021 dated 19.03.2021), describing the 2019 position: «…the court established that the child»s mother had not participated in his upbringing for a long time, had not thought about the child«s life, health, and psychological comfort, repeatedly left the daughter with strangers…»
In court, serious accusations were made against Svetlana — «tendency to alcoholism,» «unstable mental state.» But no medical conclusions confirming this were presented.
«I sat in the hall and couldn»t believe my ears,« says Svetlana. »Me, who from the birth of my daughter never left her side, who provided for the family, was painted as a monster. And the judge looked at the papers and nodded.«
Counteroffensive. Examinations and New Reality
Svetlana did not give up. She filed an appeal and began collecting evidence. A key moment was her undergoing an independent examination.
On 11 February 2021, Comprehensive Forensic Psychological-Psychiatric Examination No. 45/s regarding Svetlana was ready. The experts« verdict was categorical:
«No chronic mental disorders were identified in Svetlana.»
«Capable of raising children, does not pose a social danger to children.»
«Possesses positive emotional attachment to her daughter.»
Simultaneously, an important detail emerged in the case materials. It turned out that Dmitry Shcherbakov, who received the child by court decision, did not actually live with her. The girl lived with her grandmother in Samara on Novosadovaya Street, while Dmitry himself lived with his new family elsewhere.
On 6 July 2021, the Samara Regional Court (Appellate Ruling No. 33-6535/2021) reviewed the previous decision. The court stated that the father «does not actually live with the child,» and, considering the young age of the daughter, ruled: the girl must return to her mother, Svetlana. She was also relieved of the obligation to pay alimony.
New Player and New Level of Threat
According to Svetlana, during the court battles, a new person appeared in the case. But Svetlana is sure that her role was much more significant. She connects this woman with «black realtors» (unscrupulous property dealers) of Samara, whose cases were previously covered by 63.RU.
After the defeat in the appeal, Svetlana believes, the methods of fighting her changed. From legal to forceful.
In August 2023, according to Svetlana, she was called by the FSB and warned about surveillance on her and her daughter and a real threat of kidnapping. Later, through lawyers, she learned shocking information.
Her old apartment in Samara was of interest to Ruslan Bakiyev, known by the nickname «Spider.» He was convicted for kidnapping a 4-year-old boy in Kinel (2019 case) and received 24 years in colony. Later, he was released, having gone to the special operation. According to the investigation, «Spider» with an accomplice planned the kidnapping of the girl. According to Svetlana, this was needed to force her to give up property in favor of her ex-husband.
«Spider» was detained red-handed in the Moscow region.
Unfinished Story
Today, the daughter lives with her mother. Ruslan Bakiyev was convicted in a new case and sent back to colony. Dmitry has a family, a small child.
«I won all the courts,» says Svetlana. «I proved that I am an adequate mother. I survived the threat of my daughter»s kidnapping. But there is no feeling of victory. There is a feeling that you went through an infernal machine that grinds up lives. And the scariest thing is that the key figures remain in the shadows. And you understand that this story could repeat with someone else.«
63.RU continues to follow this story.
