Putin’s Heirs Apparent? Daughters Take on Important Roles at Major Forum

The daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin have reportedly made a rare public appearance, sparking widespread interest.

According to CNN and AFP, on June 8, Putin’s two daughters recently took the stage as speakers at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova, known as Putin’s daughters, gave consecutive speeches at the SPIEF, held from June 5 to 8.

Tikhonova, the younger daughter, delivered a video lecture on June 6 about protecting the technological sovereignty of military complexes. She was listed in the forum’s list of speakers as the general director of the National Intellectual Development Foundation (NIDF). It is reported that her work is related to the Russian military.

In her video lecture, as reported by AFP, Tikhonova mentioned that the state’s sovereignty has emerged as a critical issue in recent years and serves as the foundation of Russia’s security.

She also reportedly discussed what the defense sector needs to do to enhance technological sovereignty.

It was reported that Vorontsova, Putin’s elder daughter and a pediatric endocrinology specialist, represented the Russian Association for the Promotion of Science and gave a speech on life science innovations on June 7.

The two are known to be daughters born to Putin and his ex-wife, Lyudmila Putina. Putin married Lyudmila, a former flight attendant, in 1983 and had two daughters before they divorced in 2013.

Putin has mentioned that his daughters work in science and education and that he has a grandson. However, he has never publicly confirmed or acknowledged their names as his daughters.

It is reported that the two have been taking on increasingly public roles through forums and industry events in recent years. Both have attended SPIEF in the past, but this is the first time they have appeared as speakers simultaneously.

Bloomberg reported on June 5 that this year’s SPIEF is becoming a showcase for the second generation of high-ranking Kremlin officials.

“The rise of the princes — children of representatives of the political elite” has begun, Yevgeny Minchenko, a political scientist who’s worked with the Kremlin, said in a report on Russia’s power structure.

Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the US, observed a gradual transfer of power to a successor currently underway.