Former Alfa-Bank Executive’s Ex-Wife Appeals to Putin Before Committing Suicide

Aliya Galitskaya, the former wife of Alfa-Bank board member and billionaire Alexander Galitsky, reportedly took her own life in a detention center. Shortly before her death, she recorded a video message addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which she accused her ex-husband of supporting Ukraine and the administration of President Volodymyr Zelensky while expressing concern for their children.

In the recording, Aliya Galitskaya said she was reaching out to Putin "as the only person” who could protect her from her former husband's alleged misconduct. She explained that she married Galitsky in 2010 and they had two daughters. However, upon discovering that he was already married, she sought a divorce.

"After that, conflicts began, including threats of physical harm and legal persecution. Fearing for myself and my daughters, I had to record conversations and preserve all correspondence,” she said, quoting Galitsky as saying he "would stop at nothing to get his way” and intended to see the criminal case through to the end.

Galitskaya also claimed that, by court order, the daughters lived with their father, and that Galitsky had filed additional claims for child support, seeking to keep them in his custody. "He discredits me, painting me as a bad mother. My parental rights are severely restricted,” she added.

Accusations of Political Influence

Galitskaya accused her ex-husband of promoting pro-European views to the children during trips abroad. She alleged that he praised Zelensky as a hero for fighting Russia and compared the Russian president to a fascist leader. "He instills hatred of Russia, our people, culture, traditions, and literature in our daughters,” she said.

Expressing fear that her daughters could be taken to Europe if Galitsky won custody, she concluded: "I speak to you at my own risk and implore your help. Please consider my case seriously and examine it comprehensively and objectively.”

Contested Marriage and Legal Disputes

Galitsky's lawyer, Anna Butyrina, claimed the marriage was "a joke,” stating it was registered in Las Vegas 15 years ago and never legalized in Russia. She added that before filing her property division claim, Galitskaya had changed her surname to match his and attempted to legitimize the marriage, which was later invalidated.

In contrast, Galitskaya's former lawyer Ruben Markaryan asserted that there was a valid marriage certificate from Nevada in 2010 and a California court divorce decree. He said these documents had been submitted in court during disputes over child custody and alimony. Challenging the marriage's validity, according to Markaryan, is part of a strategy to argue that joint property did not exist.

Arrested for Extortion

Aliya Galitskaya, the former wife of ex-Alfa-Bank board member Alexander Galitsky, was arrested in connection with a $150 million extortion case involving her former husband, according to the joint press service of the Moscow Region courts.

Investigators claim that Galitskaya demanded $150 million and, through messages, phone calls, and in-person meetings, threatened the entrepreneur with the release of damaging information, as well as data that could significantly harm his rights and interests.

“The court has chosen pre-trial detention for A. Zh. Galitskaya for a period of 2 months, until April 3, 2026,” the statement said.

According to a source cited by RBC, her body was found in the Istra detention facility the morning before she was to be transferred to a pre-trial detention center.

Alexander Galitsky served on the board of directors of Alfa-Bank until March 2022. He resigned after the European Union imposed sanctions on Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven (former chairman of Alfa-Bank’s board) due to the military operation in Ukraine.

Aaliya and Alexander Galitsky divorced in March 2025. They have two daughters, both of whom hold Russian and U.S. citizenship. Following the divorce, the California Supreme Court granted custody of the children to their mother, and Galitskaya lived with them in the Moscow Region. However, at the end of May, the father took the daughters from school and left in an unknown direction.

Galitskaya contacted U.S. authorities regarding the alleged abduction of her children, but received no response. She subsequently filed a complaint in Russia, according to RIA Novosti. Later, she was able to see her daughters in Switzerland, but could not bring them back to Russia, as their documents were held by their father, her lawyer Ruben Markaryan explained.

In October of the same year, the Presnensky Court of Moscow froze Galitsky’s assets worth 435 million rubles as part of a property division lawsuit with his former wife. The market value of his properties, including apartments on Patriarch’s Ponds and Sretenka, as well as a suburban cottage, may exceed 1.2 billion rubles.