Katerina Tikhonova, who heads the Innopraktika foundation and is the younger daughter of Vladimir Putin, made her second consecutive appearance at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. This time, her public appearance attracted attention not only for professional topics but also for her appearance, which is actively discussed on social media.
This is reported by Finway
Appearance at the forum and language policy
During her video link presentation at the session “Engineering Code of the Nation: Restore or Rewrite?” Tikhonova presented her foundation’s developments regarding the technological leadership of the Russian Federation. In her speech, instead of the word “high-tech,” she used the Russian term “vysokotekh.” This formulation complies with new requirements of Russian legislation that, since March, restricts the use of Anglicisms in advertising. Last year, Putin also emphasized the need to cleanse the Russian language of foreign borrowings.
Tikhonova’s speech lasted 15 minutes, during which she detailed the successes of the foundation and emphasized the importance of innovation for Russian science and education.
Discussion of appearance on social media
After her appearance at the forum, users on the social media platform X shared a video of Tikhonova’s speech, noting changes in her appearance. Many commentators remarked that Putin’s daughter looks older and less groomed than before. The discussion was accompanied by ironic and critical remarks regarding changes in her appearance, makeup, and style.
“How this little daughter of a fool, Katerina Tikhonova, has messed everything up! Is it Botox or plastic surgery?” — wrote a user with the nickname Vestnik.
- Users reminded that Tikhonova is only 39 years old, and this age is not considered elderly.
- Some mentioned her personal life, particularly her divorce from Kirill Shamalov and rumors about her relationship with choreographer Igor Zelensky.
- There were suggestions that changes in her appearance could be related to the absence of professional stylists or the influence of her environment.
- Some commentators joked about the “Russian world” and its impact on appearance.
Facts from Katerina Tikhonova’s biography
Katerina Tikhonova was born on August 31, 1986, in Dresden (Germany). She took her maternal grandmother’s surname — Katerina Tikhonivna Shkrebnyova. By education, Tikhonova is a physicist-mathematician, managing not only the Innopraktika foundation but also several scientific structures at Moscow State University. In her youth, she actively engaged in acrobatic rock and roll and participated in international tournaments.
It is known that Katerina was married to Kirill Shamalov, the son of a businessman close to Putin. After their divorce in 2018, her name has repeatedly been linked to choreographer Igor Zelensky. Putin’s elder daughter, Maria Vorontsova, has recently taken on a new position at Moscow State University.
Katerina Tikhonova at the forum in St. Petersburg, June 2026