In a rare departure from his secretive nature, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters have stepped into the public spotlight. Katerina Tikhonova, 37, and Maria Vorontsova, 39, made appearances at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this week, fueling speculation that Putin is contemplating his legacy as he enters his eighth decade of life.
According to a former CIA agent, Ronald Marks, Putin’s daughters’ presence at the event was not merely to share their professional expertise, but to bolster their father’s image. Marks, who has 38 years of US intelligence experience, told The Daily Beast that Putin’s aim is to project himself as the most powerful figure in Russia and to revive the Russian empire.
Putin’s daughters have been making public appearances with increasing frequency in recent years, despite his secrecy about his family. Vorontsova is a genetics researcher, while Tikhonova is a tech executive and former acrobatic dancer. Marks believes that Putin is considering his mortality and sees his daughters as a way to extend his legacy. He added that the St. Petersburg summit provided an “easy forum” to test the women’s public relations abilities.
In 2022, the United States sanctioned the daughters of the Russian leader, accusing them of enriching themselves at the expense of the Russian people. Despite these allegations, Putin is rumored to have other children, although their identities have never been officially confirmed.
