Putins Alleged Offspring Engages with Anti-War Art Scene in Paris Amid Controversy

President Vladimir Putin’s purported daughter from an extramarital affair has quietly stepped into the French art scene, collaborating with galleries that focus on showcasing anti-war artists, including individuals from Ukraine, as reported by exiled artist Nastya Rodionova on Thursday.

Yelizaveta Krivonogikh’s presence in Paris was initially highlighted by the Ukrainian news outlet TSN, which discovered that she resides in the French capital with a second passport bearing the name Yelizaveta Olegovna Rudnova. This is notable considering her alleged father faces sanctions and is wanted by the West for war crimes related to the invasion of Ukraine.

The Paris-based organization L Association confirmed to Rodionova that someone named Yelizaveta Rudnova is part of its management team. L Association’s galleries, Albatros Studios and L Galerie, are recognized for featuring contemporary artists who convey political and anti-war themes.

Rodionova expressed, «I want to emphasize my belief in the presumption of innocence, and that children should not be accountable for their parents’ actions.» However, she continued, «In the context of a war, the interaction between a member of a family that benefits from the regime and its victims is intolerable. At 22, does Liza comprehend this, or is the burden placed on those around her?»

Krivonogikh is reported to have graduated in 2024 from the ICART school of arts and cultural management located in Paris. A LinkedIn post concerning the school’s graduation exhibition showcased comments from users noting that «Putin’s daughter» was among the graduates and drew attention to her striking resemblance to the Russian president, according to Rodionova.

Rodionova mentioned that she has encountered Krivonogikh in person but has not had a conversation with her.

The names on Krivonogikh’s second passport imply a connection to the late Oleg Rudnov, a media executive from St. Petersburg who had been closely associated with Putin until his passing in 2015.

Investigative reports indicate that properties linked to Krivonogikh’s mother, Svetlana Krivonogikh, were acquired under Rudnov’s name.

Before her alleged relationship with Putin, Svetlana was a cleaner residing in a communal apartment in St. Petersburg. Following the birth of her daughter in 2003, she reportedly acquired shares in various companies, including Rossiya Bank, along with luxury real estate in Moscow and on Kamenny Island in St. Petersburg, according to the investigative outlet Proekt. She also became a co-owner of the Igora ski resort in the Leningrad region and the Leningrad Center theater.

The Russian investigative outlet IStories reported that Svetlana Krivonogikh owns a lavish apartment in Monaco overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, situated near the Monte Carlo Casino.

In 2020, Proekt estimated her total assets to be worth around 7.7 billion rubles, which was approximately $100 million at that time.

The UK included Svetlana Krivonogikh on its sanctions list in 2023, identifying her as a shareholder in Bank Rossiya and the National Media Group, both of which promote Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.

In 2020, a spokesman for the Kremlin denied any relationship between Putin and Svetlana Krivonogikh, claiming he had never heard of her.