The international community has been laser-focused on Russian President Vladimir Putin amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The 69-year-old leader has fought hard to prevent the media and the world from knowing much about his personal life. But five weeks into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US applied sanctions to both women, barring them from the US financial system.
Putin's carefully curated macho image — he's often photographed riding horses, lifting weights, and posing shirtless — has colored much of the public's understanding of him. He has also made a concerted effort to shield his children from the spotlight, prompting many to question whether he even has children at all.
Putin has never publicly acknowledged his children, though media outlets have for years speculated and reported about the two daughters Putin had with his ex-wife, and even that a girlfriend may have had another daughter in 2015.
One of them, Katerina Tikhonova, appears to be building a public profile, and was seen last year speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia — the country's equivalent of Davos. But as with her earlier media appearances, nobody explicitly linked her with Putin.
Here is what we know about the lives of Putin's secret kids.
Pat Ralph contributed reporting to previous versions of this article.
Putin had two daughters in his first marriage to former flight attendant Lyudmila Shkrebneva, to whom he was married for three decades until their divorce in 2013.
Their daughter's names are Maria and Katerina. Maria was born in Leningrad in 1985, and Katerina was born in Germany in 1986 when the family lived there during her father's time in the KGB.
Maria and Katerina Putin, from their father's personal archive.
Both girls are named after their grandmothers. Maria's nickname is Masha and Katerina's nickname is Katya.
Putin's father, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, and his mother, Maria Ivanovna Shelomova.
Kremlin
Masha and Katya are common Russian shortenings for Maria and Katerina.
When the family moved to Moscow in 1996, the girls attended a German-language school. The children were reportedly removed from school when Putin became acting president, and teachers educated them at home.
Then-acting President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila applaud during a concert after an award ceremony in Gudermes on January 1, 2000.
"Not all fathers are as loving with their children as he is," Lyudmila said in a quote on Putin's government website. "And he has always spoiled them, while I was the one who had to discipline them."
Maria studied biology in college and went to medical school in Moscow, while Katerina majored in Asian Studies in college. Both girls attended university under false identities.
Putin and wife Ludmila arrive at the airport in Rostock-Laage, Germany on June 6, 2007.
Maria and Faassen reportedly have a child — Putin told filmmaker Oliver Stone in 2017 that he was a grandfather. When Stone asked if he played with his grandchild, Putin replied, "Very seldom, unfortunately."
"The Putin Interviews" was a four-part series that premiered on Showtime in May 2017.
Meanwhile, Katerina reportedly lives a high-flying life, living in lavish apartments and acquiring a fortune.
Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a toast during an award ceremony in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia on Dec. 28, 2017.
Katerina, now 35, is an accomplished acrobatic dancer and has a senior position at her alma mater, Moscow State University, heading a $1.7 billion startup incubator.
Katerina Tikhonovna, daughter of Vladimir Putin, dancing.
Katerina married Russian billionaire Kirill Shamalov in 2013. But the couple divorced in 2018, and the divorce case revealed they were worth $2 billion.
Kirill Shamalov, the former husband of Putin's daughter Katerina
There are no official current photos of the girls. For Katerina, we found the slightly varying first names "Katerina", "Katya", and "Yekaterina," and the last names "Putina," "Tikhonova," and "Shamalov."
Katerina Tikhonova (L), daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, dances with Ivan Klimov during the World Cup Rock'n'Roll Acrobatic Competition in Krakow, Poland, on April 12, 2014.
Finally, there are rumors that Putin has a third daughter with girlfriend and former Russian rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva.
Putin greets rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabayeva during a meeting with candidates to the Russian Olympic team for Summer Olympics 2004 at the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow on March 10, 2004.
But neither the child nor the relationship with Kabaeva have been confirmed.
Putin smiles next to Russian gymnast Alina Kabaeva during a meeting with the Russian Olympic team at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on November 4, 2004.
Despite this, Katerina made her debut on Russian state TV as a biotechnology expert in December 2018.
Katerina Tikhonova (R) on Rossiya 1 on December 7, 2018.
Her appearance did not include comment on her being related to Putin. The link was briefly made public in the course of a dance competition, but later retracted.
Katerina Tikhonova (L) and Vladimir Putin
In June 2021, Katerina addressed a conference that is Russia's equivalent of Davos — but nobody called her Putin's daughter, apparently out of fear of reprisal from the Kremlin.
Katerina Tikhonova, deputy director of the Institute for Mathematical Research of Complex Systems at Moscow State University, on screen taking part in a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia, on June 4, 2021.
In late 2020, Putin announced Russia had completed its COVID-19 vaccine, although it had yet to complete clinical assessments. Putin said he gave the shot to one of his two daughters, but wouldn't specify which one.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the government via video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, on August 11, 2020.
Putin said his daughter's temperature decreased after getting two shots. "She has taken part in the experiment," he said, adding, "She's feeling well and has a high number of antibodies."
Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo / AP Images
It was a rare acknowledgment for Putin, but one still shrouded in mystery.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting of the Russian Security Council at Moscow's Kremlin.
Alexei Nikolsky\TASS via Getty Images
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, prompting condemnation from around the world. Three weeks later an activist filmed himself inside what he said was a Biarritz apartment owned by Katerina's ex-husband, saying he wanted to host Ukrainian refugees there.
An image showing an activist flying a Ukrainian flag from the balcony of a villa linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Biarritz, France.
In April, the US sanctioned Maria and Katerina, saying that they had "enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people." A statement said "This action cuts them off from the US financial system and freezes any assets they hold in the United States."
Getty/Reuters
The Wall Street Journal said that the EU could also sanction the two women.
An EU spokesperson said the bloc is "currently discussing the proposals for further sanctions, including new listings of individuals and entities," but could not comment on who would be targeted by them.
The US announcement also contained more details about their work. saying that it has close ties to the Kremlin. Tikhonova's work supports Russia's government and defense industry, while Vorontsova's genetics research programs are personally overseen by Putin, the White House said.
The main building of the Moscow State University. As of 2021, Tikhonova was Deputy Director of its Institute for Mathematical Research of Complex Systems
The US said it believed the women are hiding assets for Putin, which was its rationale for sanctioning them. The Kremlin expressed confusion over the decision, suggesting it was anti-Russian.
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
A senior official at the Biden administration said: "We believe that many of Putin's assets are hidden with family members and that's why we're targeting them."
Putin's top spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin found the decision "difficult to understand" and framed it as part of a "rabid" western animosity towards Russia.
The UK quickly followed suit with a raft of sanctions on Maria and Katerina, among others in Putin's inner circle, aimed at hitting their "lavish lifestyles."
The villa registered in the name of Kirill Shamalov, Katerina Tikhonova's ex-husband, in Biarritz, France.
No comments