A woman believed to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s secret daughter has broken her silence with a series of cryptic but scathing posts, apparently condemning her father for the war in Ukraine and his destructive grip on her life.
Elizaveta Krivonogikh, 22, an art school graduate now living in Paris, made headlines after sharing the emotional messages on her private Telegram account, where she appears under the artistic alias Luiza Rozova.
“It’s liberating to be able to show my face to the world again,” she wrote, according to German outlet Bild.
“It reminds me of who I am and who destroyed my life.”
Long-Suspected Ties to Putin
Krivonogikh, born in 2003, is widely believed to be Putin’s youngest daughter, the result of an alleged affair between the Russian leader and Svetlana Krivonogikh, his former housekeeper.
The claim was first made in a 2020 investigation by Russian outlet Proekt, which highlighted her “phenomenal resemblance” to Putin, her middle name “Vladimirovna” (meaning “daughter of Vladimir”), and her family’s sudden rise to extreme wealth.
Though Putin has never publicly acknowledged her, Krivonogikh has also never denied the speculation surrounding her lineage.
From Luxury to Rebellion
Previously known for flaunting a lavish lifestyle on Instagram, Krivonogikh’s social media was abruptly shut down after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2021. She has since returned with a more subdued presence, initially concealing her face in photos.
But now, she appears to have turned against the Kremlin and the life of wealth she once embraced.
She currently works in a Parisian art gallery that focuses on anti-war art, and is said to have denounced her former life of Gucci-clad privilege tied to Putin’s inner circle.
“Am I really responsible for the activities of my family, who can’t even hear me?” she posted, pushing back on criticism that she shouldn’t be engaging with Ukrainians due to her family ties.
A New Identity, A Subtle Jab
In a symbolic move, Krivonogikh has adopted another pseudonym: Elizaveta Rudnova — a reference to Oleg Rudnov, a late Putin ally who helped manage the president’s business dealings.
Observers say it’s a thinly veiled jab at her presumed father, an indirect act of rebellion within Putin’s famously secretive and tightly controlled private sphere.
Not the Only Secret?
Putin is rumored to have at least four children outside of his official family, including two young sons — reportedly ages 10 and 6 — with former Olympic gold medalist and gymnast Alina Kabaeva.
The Russian president has never publicly acknowledged any of these children, fueling years of speculation and secrecy that has only intensified as internal dissent grows and Russia’s war effort falters.
