A woman widely believed to be a daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin has resurfaced on social media, accusing an unnamed man of “destroying” her life.
In a post on Telegram, 22-year-old Elizaveta Krivonogikh shared a photo of herself and wrote: “It’s liberating to be able to show my face to the world again. It reminds me of who I was born to be and who destroyed my life. The man who took millions of lives and who destroyed mine,” reported The Times.
According to the news outlet, while Krivonogikh did not explicitly name Putin, a German newspaper Bild that had access to the Telegram channel titled ‘Art of Luiza’ noted that the context strongly suggested the Russian president was the subject of her remarks.
Despite the mounting media scrutiny, the Kremlin has denied any connection. In 2020, Putin’s spokesperson said the president had “never heard of her”.
Public attention around Elizaveta reignited last year when Russian artist Nastya Rodionova, now in exile, claimed that she had been working under the surname Rudnova at a Paris gallery exhibiting anti-war art.
Rodionova publicly cut ties with the gallery, saying it was “inadmissible” for a member of the Putin family to be associated with such a space.
Who is Elizaveta Krivonogikh?
Elizaveta Krivonogikh is believed to be the daughter of Vladimir Putin and Svetlana Krivonogikh, a woman who reportedly worked as a cleaner before becoming a shareholder in Bank Rossiya.
Despite the Kremlin’s longstanding efforts to keep Putin’s private life secret, reports over the years have linked Elizaveta to the president. She previously lived a visibly luxurious life, sharing glimpses of designer clothing and private jets on social media before going largely offline after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, reported The Times.
Elizaveta is reported to have graduated in 2024 from ICART, a Paris-based institution that specialises in arts and cultural management.
Wealth and a link to Putin
Her mother, Svetlana Krivonogikh, reportedly transitioned from working as a cleaner in St Petersburg to becoming a major shareholder in key Russian businesses.
Among her assets is a significant stake in the Bank of Russia, an institution the United States has described as “Putin’s personal cashbox.” In 2020, Russian investigative outlet Proekt estimated Svetlana’s net worth at approximately 7.7 billion rubles (about £74 million at the time).
