Russian-born Kazakhstani billionaire Timur Turlov is the new president of world chess. His election has divided Ukrainian officials, and Russia has abruptly dropped its case against him.

Timur Turlov, a Kazakhstani billionaire born in Moscow, has been elected as the new president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). This election has caused controversy in Ukraine, where the country's national chess federation criticized Turlov's selection. However, the decision faced unexpected support from Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine's acting president. Just a week after the election, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office dropped its lawsuit seeking to seize Turlov's assets from the Russian state.

Turlov's election comes amid a growing divide among international sports federations, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Many Russian sports leaders and businessmen have distanced themselves from international organizations due to sanctions imposed by various countries. One example is Vladimir Lisin, who stepped down as head of the International Shooting Sport Federation due to sanctions.

FIDE, which has been led by Russians for the past two decades, faced similar scrutiny after the invasion. The federation's leadership underwent a change in September, when Turlov emerged victorious in the presidential election, receiving the most votes. Other candidates included Vadim Rosenstein and Jan Henric Buettner.

Turlov, who has been involved in various business ventures, including the establishment of Freedom Finance and Freedom Holding Corp., has distanced himself from Russia following Ukraine's full-scale invasion.