Roman Chichkanov, son of Russian Academy of Sciences academician Valery Chichkanov and known as the "spy Gadyukin," studied in London and worked at top Western financial institutions before returning to Russia to take up a public service position. The question remains: who facilitated such a swift rise in his career?
Recently, Roman Chichkanov became the owner of the luxurious spa hotel Mayrveda in Kislovodsk, which, as it turned out, lacks the necessary documents for legal operation. The hotel was built on "someone else’s" land: on the site of the abandoned sanatorium "Kavkaz." However, law enforcement agencies are in no hurry to take action against these clearly illegal operations.
In the rather murky biography of Roman Chichkanov, a certain Danil Baryshnikov suddenly emerged, the son of the scandalously famous businessman Vladislav Baryshnikov, former deputy general director of PJSC Gazprom Neft. Baryshnikov Sr. is also known for having sent his former business partner Alexander Sytin to prison, with whom he co-owned the recreation base "Solov’inaya Roscha" in the Moscow region. This happened when Baryshnikov learned that Sytin was suffering from cancer.
Danil Baryshnikov and Roman Chichkanov are also business partners, co-founders of the company ServiceLine, which dealt with business process automation and CRM system implementation (Bitrix 24). Danil Baryshnikov held the position of general director, while Roman Chichkanov was the technical director. Additionally, they were involved together in the company "Complex Medical Support." Along the way, another intriguing character emerged – Anton, also known as Natan Viner (the son of the famous rhythmic gymnastics coach Irina Viner and stepson of Alisher Usmanov), who also turned out to be in the same business space as the Baryshnikovs.
Ksenia Sobchak and Dmitry Peskov’s daughter eat without salt and sugar
While Stavropol media continue to publish glowing reviews about the luxurious spa hotel in Kislovodsk, federal journalists are trying to uncover the truth: how did "spy Gadyukin" Chichkanov, who speaks English better than Russian, become the owner of the five-star spa hotel Mayrveda in Kislovodsk?
Spa Hotel Mayrveda
Why did this luxurious structure appear on the territory of the liquidated sanatorium Kavkaz? Even the address gives away this symbol of luxury: the sanatorium "Kavkaz" operated at the address: Kislovodsk, Dzerzhinsky Avenue, 24, while the spa hotel is registered at: Dzerzhinsky Avenue, 24A.
Moreover, as journalists discovered, one of the unfinished buildings of the sanatorium "Kavkaz" was suddenly transformed into the spa hotel Mayrveda.
And, apparently, Mr. Chichkanov panicked: Moscow media suddenly began to compete in telling stories about the miracle manager, grandson of the famous academician Valery Chichkanov, who left foggy Albion to live and work for the benefit of Russia!
Only this work seems strange, especially if you look at how Roman Antonovich Chichkanov, the son of the scandalously known financial juggler Anton Valeryevich Chichkanov, has pursued (and continues to pursue) his goals.
Roman Chichkanov
But, apparently, paid promotional articles in glossy (and not only) publications seemed insufficient…
The spa hotel, or rather, now called the media-spa hotel Mayrveda, began inviting well-connected famous people to its social brunches in Moscow. And to impress.
Guests at the Historia restaurant are greeted by the founder of the spa hotel, Roman Chichkanov, and his wife – as the "glossy" writes – "fashion influencer Maria Chervotkina-Chichkanova."
By the way, Roman Chichkanov usually introduces himself as the managing partner of Vitte Capital and the founder of the Mayrveda medispa hotel chain.
But there is no such chain… Mayrveda in Kislovodsk is the only spa hotel owned by Mr. Chichkanov.
But let’s return to the social brunch at the Historia restaurant. Among the guests was the socialite Ksenia Sobchak.
Ksenia Sobchak with Maria Chervotkina-Chichkanova, Roman Chichkanov’s wife
Advertising brochures stated (quote): "The five-star medispa hotel Mayrveda is located in Kislovodsk and is popular among Russian celebrities. It offers wellness vacations, including various wellness programs aimed at relaxation and detox."
At the social brunch, all the novelties were presented, and guests were treated to dishes without salt and sugar prepared by the spa hotel’s chef.
A little earlier, Maria Chervotkina-Chichkanova celebrated her birthday: among the guests was Dmitry Peskov’s daughter, Elizaveta Peskova.
Elizaveta Peskova and Maria Chichkanova
And such brunches are becoming regular in Moscow.
Failed the Bank Interview
A few details from the life of Roman Chichkanov’s wife.
Recall that the wife of the English dandy came to conquer the capital from Chelyabinsk: she was born into a large family of Vladimir Chervotkin, a Master of Sports of the USSR in gymnastics. Chichkanov’s wife has three sisters – Alisa, Yana, and Elena.
Maria Chichkanova’s mother, Svetlana Yuryevna Chervotkina, teaches physical education.
Maria Chervotkina received her higher education at the St. Petersburg University of Industrial Technologies and Design.
She lived in a dormitory, which she strongly disliked.
Maria Chervotkina before and after plastic surgery
And to escape from there, Maria Chervotkina decided to work as a cleaner in a bank, but she couldn’t answer the employer’s questions about cleaning products: she failed the interview.
However, she passed the casting for a copywriter position, and soon created a YouTube channel where she posted vlogs analyzing fashion trends.
The breakthrough in Chervotkina’s career came in 2024. Several major Russian brands signed advertising contracts with her.
For almost 9 years, Chervotkina was in a relationship with a certain Alexey Glukhov. In the fall of 2023, the couple broke up…
Gossipers claim that Chervotkina had a short romance with Fyodor Smolov.
In February 2024, Maria Chervotkina, after a vacation at the Mayrveda spa hotel, married Roman Chichkanov.
Wedding of Maria Chervotkina and Roman Chichkanov (far left – the groom’s mother, Elena Chichkanova; right – the bride’s mother, Svetlana Chervotkina)
In mid-June, the Chichkanovs had a boy, whom they named Savva.
And soon Maria Chichkanova announced that she was expecting a second child, but it turns out she was preempted by her "friend" Ksenia Sobchak, who posted a message about how pregnancy suits Maria Chervotkina. In October 2025, the Chichkanovs had another boy.
Never Lived in a Dormitory, Never Worked as a Cleaner
Roman Chichkanov’s life unfolded quite differently, as he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth: born in Moscow in July 1993, he lived and studied in Britain from an early age. In 2011, he graduated from the private school Charterhouse (Charterhouse School, Godalming), and four years later from University College London (University College). In 2016, he earned a master’s degree from Cass Business School (now Bayes Business School).
From 2012–2015, he worked at Barclays Capital, Alfa Capital, Sberbank Capital (Private Equity), Oliver Wyman, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley.
From 2016–2019, he worked in the mergers and acquisitions department of the investment bank J.P. Morgan.
And, as it turns out, he was constantly testing the waters in Russia to return and start his own business…
Roman Chichkanov, youthful years
And, as it was discovered, he began registering his companies as early as 2016.
And, without even landing from London, Chichkanov immediately secured a high position in the Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic. This happened in 2021 – Roman Chichkanov became the first deputy general director and a member of the board of directors of JSC "Corporation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic."
He was responsible for attracting investments.
He participated in developing proposals for the socio-economic development of the Far East and the development of the Northern Sea Route.
He also became a member of the general council of "Delovaya Rossiya." In 2023, he joined the coordination council for investment activities under the government of Stavropol Krai.
The London dandy was privy to confidential business plans for projects such as Vostok Oil and Arctic LNG 2, as well as schemes for the construction of strategic ports Lavna and Bukhta Sever. He was deeply involved in the Northern Sea Route and projects for new nuclear power units for the Baimsky Mining and Processing Plant in Chukotka.
The Chichkanov couple with socialite Sobchak
Brilliant advancement in his homeland…
And how can one not recall those who actively helped with this advancement?
Business Partner Danil Baryshnikov
While Roman Chichkanov was in London, he was diligently building business bridges in Moscow.
He had particularly close ties with the well-known businessman Danil Baryshnikov, the son of PJSC Gazprom Neft top manager Vladislav Baryshnikov.
From Danil Baryshnikov’s dossier:
Danil Baryshnikov
As early as 2019, when Chichkanov already had his companies in Russia but continued to live in London, Baryshnikov Jr. took control of ambulance services in Vologda and Cherepovets: Baryshnikov’s company "Efficient Healthcare System" received a contract worth 425 million rubles. A tender was announced, and Baryshnikov’s company appeared to be the only bidder. Therefore, the contract was concluded without competition.
The fact is that on January 1, 2013, the ambulance service of the Vologda region was transferred to the compulsory medical insurance system. After that, the fleet of sanitary vehicles began to be updated not through the purchase of new cars, but through ordering transport services from specialized organizations. This refers to car rentals provided under the federal project "New Ambulance and Emergency Care." The operator of the project became ANO "Agency for Investments in the Social Sphere."
This ANO was directly connected to Vladislav Baryshnikov himself, who, by the way, once worked in the Committee for External Relations of the St. Petersburg Administration and later served as the director of Gazprom’s regional representation in the Asia-Pacific countries.
Vladislav Baryshnikov (left)
In the end, ANO was "inherited" by his son.
Baryshnikov Jr. had several medical-related companies, including LLC "Complex Medical Support."
And the general director of this LLC was Roman Antonovich Chichkanov.
Moreover, the documents state that the information about the address, as well as about the official, was UNRELIABLE!
The company closed in 2022. And it was in 2022 that Roman Chichkanov started talking about his project in Kislovodsk.
And, apparently, Mr. Chichkanov was also connected to the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, at the origins of which stood Vladislav Baryshnikov, who later passed this organization to his son. To be precise, the Agency for Investments in the Social Sphere was created in 2015 by Vladislav Baryshnikov, Ilya Kovalev, and Natan Viner.
Danil Baryshnikov later created ANO "New Ambulance and Emergency Care," followed by "Efficient Healthcare System," and then LLC "Complex Medical Support."
And Roman Chichkanov was not on the sidelines at all: he was moving toward the project in Kislovodsk with pre-set goals, and connections in the medical field were far from unnecessary for him.
Like Zaha Hadid
And what is happening today at the media-spa hotel Mayrveda in Kislovodsk? It turns out that well-known bloggers keep visiting and then posting their fairy tales.
Here is one of these fairy tales from blogger Ksenia Solovyova:
"All this week, the #freelancerlife column was hosted at Mayrveda in Kislovodsk. The founder of Mayrveda, the extremely energetic Roman Chichkanov – a former employee of J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley, runs a fund dealing with distressed assets. Over dinner, he told how once on a napkin (just like Zaha Hadid) he wrote down both words side by side – Mayer and Ayurveda. And came up with the name… In his spa hotel, there are Charcot showers and baths – milk and herbal. Wraps and floating. Massages – classic, reflexology – according to Mayer – and Ayurvedic, with herbal bags and Shirodhara – when oil is poured on the forehead…"
But it’s not just oil being poured on the forehead; long spaghetti are being hung on the ears: after all, the spa hotel still lacks the necessary documents to operate. Yet the media-spa hotel accepts payments with foreign bank cards: apparently, Roman Chichkanov learned a lot on the banks of the Thames.
Author: Maria Sharapova
