US Sanctions Putin's Daughters: Here's All About Them

Moscow: It has been more than one month since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine and it does not seem like the Kremlin has any intentions to stop its war machine. 

The recent slaughtering of civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha by Russian forces has drawn new rounds of sanctions imposed by the US. However, the nature of these latest sanctions differs from the previous ones as the US has directly targeted Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

Putin's daughters Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova have been included in the latest round of sanctions. Apart from the two of them, the family of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, former President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and former Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin have also been targeted.

The US administration is of the view that much of Putin's assets lie within his family circle and this is precisely the reason why they have been targeted.

Who are Putin's daughters? 

Vladimir Putin has two daughters - Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova and Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova, both of whom were born to his ex-wife Lyudmila.

Putin has always kept a low profile about his family as a result of which very little is known about them. The Russian President had refused to answer questions regarding his daughters during a press conference back in 2015. 

The only thing he said was," My daughters live in Russia and I am proud of them. I never discuss my family with anyone", the BBC reported.

Born in 1985, Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova (36) happens to be the elder daughter of Putin. She pursued her higher studies at Petersburg University and thereafter, she went on to study medicine at the Moscow State University.

She is currently a researcher at Endocrinology Research Centre in Moscow and is specialising in the endocrine system. She had also co-written a book on stunted growth in children.

Maria tied the knot with Dutch businessman Jorrit Joost Faassen, who worked at the Russian state energy giant Gazprom. However, the couple has now parted ways and is no longer together.

On the other hand, Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova (35) is the younger daughter of Putin. She is a businesswoman by profession and also works in the academic sector. She made a brief appearance on Russian state media in 2018 to talk about neurotechnology and also at a business forum in 2021.

Katerina had married Kirill Shamalov, son of a long-time friend of Putin but like her elder sister, she later split up with her husband.

Meanwhile, the latest rounds of sanctions will further bleed the already depleting Russian economy. In fact, the effects are clearly visible on the ground with the Russian stock market crashing numerous times since the Ukraine war erupted.

A lot of Russian companies have been hit hard by these crippling sanctions and they have had to incur severe losses in the stock market. To make things worse, the Russian ruble is at an all-time low.

Also read: US President Joe Biden calls for 'wartime trial' over Bucha killings

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