Who Is Luiza Rozova? Putin's Alleged Love Child Breaks Silence

Newsweek

a day ago

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Elizaveta Krivonogikh, also known as Luiza Rozova, has gone public with sharp criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin—her alleged father—more than a year after vanishing from social media. Now living in Paris under a new name, she's distancing herself from the Kremlin and the luxury lifestyle she once displayed online.
In a series of Telegram posts obtained by the German newspaper Bild, Krivonogikh wrote about a man "who took millions of lives and destroyed mine."
The 22-year-old did not name Putin directly, but the reference was widely interpreted as her first public break with the Russian leader. "It's liberating to be able to show my face to the world again," she added.
"It reminds me of who I am and who destroyed my life."
A New Life in Paris
Born in St. Petersburg in 2003, Krivonogikh has been long rumored to be the daughter of Putin and former cleaner Svetlana Krivonogikh. After Luiza's birth, her mother's financial fortunes rose sharply. While there has never been official confirmation of Putin's paternity, Krivonogikh's patronymic—Vladimirovna—and past investigative reports have fueled speculation for years.
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin visits the Valaam Monastery on Valaam island in the northern portion of Lake Ladoga, on August 1, 2025. On right,...
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin visits the Valaam Monastery on Valaam island in the northern portion of Lake Ladoga, on August 1, 2025. On right, Elizaveta Krivonogikh. More
Getty Images / Telegram
She once posted regularly on Instagram, sharing photos of private jets, elite nightclubs and designer fashion. But her account disappeared around the time Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Now, according to multiple reports, she goes by Elizaveta Rudnova and works at two Paris art galleries—L Galerie in Belleville and Espace Albatros in Montreuil—both known for hosting anti-war exhibitions. She graduated from the ICART School of Cultural and Art Management in 2024 and helps organize shows and produce video content.
Caught Between Politics
Krivonogikh's new life has not been without controversy. Russian artist Nastya Rodionova, who fled Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, ended her collaboration with both galleries after learning of Krivonogikh's involvement.
"It is inadmissible to allow a person who comes from a family of beneficiaries of the regime to come into confrontation with the victims of that regime," Rodionova said in a public statement.
Krivonogikh defended herself, asking, "Am I really responsible for the activities of my family, who can't even hear me?"
Some in the Paris art community have supported her. Dmitry Dolinsky, who runs the association that oversees both galleries, told Bild: "She looks like Putin, but so do 100,000 other people. I haven't seen a DNA test." Others described her as cultured and committed to her work.
Her mother was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in 2023 over her ties to Putin's inner circle. Krivonogikh has since traded designer labels for activism, signaling a full break from the image she once embraced.
"My life is ruined," she wrote recently, referencing the man she holds responsible for both personal and national destruction. She now appears focused on rebuilding her identity—and making it clear that she wants no part of the legacy she inherited.