Putin's ‘secret daughter’ embarrasses him with an anti-war move

Nastya Rodionova claims Vladimir Putin's alleged illegitimate daughter, Elizaveta Krivonogikh, works in Paris' anti-war art scene.

Russian writer and artist Nastya Rodionova has claimed that President Vladimir Putin’s alleged “illegitimate daughter” is working quietly in the heart of Paris’ anti-war art scene.

Elizaveta, reportedly linked to Putin, works at Studio Albatros and L Galerie, raising ethical concerns in the art community. (AFP)

“It all started when I heard a rumour,” Rodionova wrote in a Facebook post. “Liza (short for Elizaveta) works at Studio Albatros and L Galerie, where anti-war artists exhibit.”

The Russian writer who has been living in exile in France since 2022 after fleeing her homeland claimed the woman in question is Elizaveta Krivonogikh, daughter of Svetlana Aleksandrovna Krivonogikh, a woman linked to Vladimir Putin through several investigative reports.

“She is the daughter of Svetlana Aleksandrovna Krivonogikh, who, in turn, according to a number of journalistic investigations, was close to Putin, and according to Proekt.media, Liza is Putin’s illegitimate daughter,” Rodionova added.

“It is important to say that I believe in the presumption of innocence, that children are not responsible for the crimes of their parents. But, in the midst of war, a clash between a person from a family of beneficiaries of the regime and its victims is unacceptable.”

Notably, the L Association manages both Studio Albatros and L Galerie, and they have welcomed both Russian and Ukrainian artists fighting against the war.

Who is Elizaveta Krivonogikh? Putin's ‘secret child’

Elizaveta reportedly graduated in 2024 from ICART, a Paris-based school specialising in arts and cultural management. In France, she uses the surname Rudnova, though multiple reports from Ukrainian and Russian outlets have linked the name ‘Elizaveta Rudnova’ directly to Krivonogikh.

Investigative outlet Agentstvo claimed to have reviewed airline ticket data for an ‘Elizaveta Olegovna Rudnova,’ who not only shares Elizaveta Krivonogikh’s birthdate but also uses the same phone number.

Her mother, Svetlana Krivonogikh, once worked as a cleaner in St. Petersburg before, reportedly after her relationship with Putin, acquiring major financial stakes in prominent businesses, including the Bank of Russia. The US has called that bank “Putin’s personal cashbox.” In 2020, Russian outlet Proekt valued Svetlana’s assets at approximately 7.7 billion rubles, around £74 million at the time.

However, in 2020, Putin’s spokesperson dismissed the allegations, saying he had “never heard of her.”