‘Destroyed my life': Vladimir Putin's ‘secret daughter' slams him in cryptic post

Herald Sun

7 hours ago

Don't miss out on the headlines from Leaders. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's alleged secret daughter has spoken out against her father in a cryptic post, condemning the man who 'destroyed' her and 'took millions of lives'.
Elizaveta Krivonogikh, a 22-year-old art school graduate living in Paris who is believed to be the leader's youngest daughter, shared the messages on her private Telegram, in line with her increasing openness on Instagram as she's started to share more images of herself, The New York Post reported.
'It's liberating to be able to show my face to the world again,' she wrote, according to German magazine Bild.
'It reminds me of who I am and who destroyed my life.'
The Telegram chat, named 'Art of Luiza', references her work pseudonym Luiza Rozova.
Ms Krivonogikh didn't explicitly name Putin in either post, but has also never shot down the popular theories surrounding her true parentage.
The budding artist was born in 2003 after a suspected affair between Putin and her mother, Svetlana, the President's then-housekeeper.
The bombshell was first revealed after a 2020 investigation by Russian media outlet Proekt, citing Ms Krivonogikh's 'phenomenal resemblance' to Putin. He isn't listed on her birth certificate, but 'Vladimirovna' was included, translating to 'daughter of Vladimir'.
In 2021, slain journalist and Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny exposed Ms Krivonogikh's Instagram, which showcased her life of luxury and her family's staggering wealth that many have attributed to their connection with the country's pesident.
While Ms Krivonogikh originally celebrated life in the spotlight, she retreated after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2021 and her Instagram was suddenly shut down. She's since returned to the platform, but was more reserved in her posting at first, hiding her face in many photos.
She's now seemingly changed her tune – and swapped sides on the devastating war after previously mourning her inability to 'make an extra lap around my beloved St Petersburg'.
Ms Krivonogikh has since denounced her previous lifestyle of obscene wealth, speaking openly against her alleged father's actions in Ukraine. She also works in a Parisian art gallery that specialises in anti-war works.
Ms Krivonogikh also adopted an extra pseudonym, Elizaveta Rudnova, inspired by Putin's late ally Oleg Rudnov – a cheeky stab at her elusive parentage.
Still, critics of Putin haven't quite bought her reshaped image and insist that she shouldn't be working in a space where she could be interacting with Ukrainians, regardless of her stance.
'Am I really responsible for the activities of my family, who can't even hear me?' Ms Krivonogikh wrote.
Putin is also rumoured to share two secret sons, a 10-year-old and a six-year-old, with his former gymnast lover and Olympic gold medallist Alina Kabaeva.
This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission
Originally published as 'Destroyed my life': Vladimir Putin's 'secret daughter' slams him in cryptic post