Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s daughters are making public appearances as the Russian president contemplates his legacy.
What Happened: According to a report, Putin’s daughters Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this week. A former CIA agent told The Daily Beast that their appearances aim to enhance their father’s image.
Putin, 71, has kept his children out of the spotlight until recently. Vorontsova, 39, a genetics researcher, and Tikhonova, 37, a tech executive, accepted invitations to speak at the summit, signaling Putin's focus on his legacy.
Ronald Marks, the former CIA agent who worked in the U.S. intelligence community for 38 years, said, “Remember it’s Putin world and we just live in it."
"That’s an extension of him … his desire to recreate the Russian empire, his desire to show himself as the most powerful guy in Russia. Young daughters represent vitality for him," Marks told the outlet.
Marks noted, “He's considering his mortality. He's getting to be at that age right now where he's now looking for his legacy. And both of those kids to my understanding are pretty sharp.”
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"If those daughters can step out front and center and represent him, I think he'll take advantage of it," he added.
The summit in St. Petersburg serves as a platform to test the daughters’ public relations skills, Marks added.
Vorontsova and Tikhonova have been more visible in recent years, including being sanctioned by the U.S. and in 2022 for allegedly enriching themselves at the expense of the Russian people.
Why It Matters: The public appearances of Putin’s daughters come at a time when the Russian president’s health and security are under scrutiny.
Last year, Russian authorities began investigating an alleged plot to assassinate Putin, which was uncovered through a conversation at a karaoke bar.
The tip-off was first reported by the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, known for its insider information from Russia’s police and military sectors. A man named Mikhail Yurchenko informed Russia’s Ministry for Internal Affairs about the conversation.
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