Can Putin cheat death? All about his daughter’s billion-dollar quest for immortality

Could humans one day live forever? Maria Vorontsova, the eldest daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, believes advances in medicine could eventually bring humanity closer to that possibility. Vorontsova, a 41-year-old endocrinologist who heads Moscow State University’s Medical Research and Education Institute, discussed the future of longevity at a forum in Moscow last week titled Live Long, Live Differently.

Her approach has two stages. Healthy habits, including a balanced diet, regular exercise and limiting alcohol, could help people live into their late 80s, she suggested. Going beyond that, however, would require breakthroughs that challenge the biological limits of human life.

Vorontsova said she expected the growing fear of death to push healthcare providers towards finding solutions within the next 10 to 20 years.

Why the Kremlin is interested

The interest in longevity extends beyond medical research. Putin, who has led Russia since 2000, has spoken publicly about the possibility of extending active life through biotechnology and organ replacement.

During a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last year, the two leaders were overheard discussing ageing and the prospect of humans living to 150.

Putin later told reporters that advances in medicine and organ-replacement surgery offered hope that people could remain active for longer.

In 2024, he announced a $26 billion national project, New Technologies for Health Preservation, aimed at improving healthcare and extending life expectancy. Russia is also funding research into genetics and therapies designed to slow cellular ageing.

Immortality remains out of reach

Despite the ambitions, science is nowhere near delivering eternal life. The maximum human lifespan is generally thought to be around 125 years, while fully functional human organs grown in laboratories remain beyond current capabilities.

Researchers at Russia’s Kurchatov Institute are investigating the use of 3D printing to create human tissues and organs. Other work focuses on gene therapies that could slow age-related changes.

But the research has also drawn criticism, particularly as Russia continues its war in Ukraine and faces competing demands on public resources.

For now, extending healthy life may be a realistic scientific goal. Defeating death altogether remains a distant prospect.