Vladimir Putin’s daughter
has been parachuted in to help Russia dodge the impact of Western
sanctions over her father’s war in Ukraine.
Katerina Tikhonova, 35, is the
new co-chairman of a high-powered group supervising import substitution.
She has been long tipped for a
major political role amid reports of Putin’s ailing health, and this could be
the first sign of new prominence for the high-kicking ‘rock’n’roll’ dancer.
Her appointment is with the
powerful Kremlin-loyal Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)
which represents major state and private businesses.
Many have been badly hit by
sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The new role for Tikhonova
comes as Putin has legalized sanctions-busting ‘parallel imports’ to secure a
flow of restricted Western goods into Russia via third countries and unlicensed
means.
The union avoided mentioning
she is Putin’s daughter when announcing she will co-chair the Coordinating
Council on Import Substitution and Technological Independence, which aims to
speedily reduce Russian reliance on Western products and expertise, so
mitigating the impact of sanctions.
She is currently the director-general of the low-key National Intellectual Development Foundation.
Tikhonova – who recently
underwent expensive beauty treatments in Munich – is Putin’s second daughter by
former first lady Lyudmila, his ex-wife.
Separately, there has been
speculation she could be drafted into parliament and take a prominent role with
the main pro-Putin political party, United Russia, amid fears that Putin’s
health problems mean he cannot remain in power long term.
