New Delhi

Russian President Vladimir Putin has kept his personal life guarded. He might not want to reveal the details about his family but others have, and now his daughters have stunned the corridors of power in and beyond Moscow after they spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). 

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Vladimir Putin and ex-wife Lyudmila are parents to Maria Vorontsova, 38 and Katerina Tikhonova, 37. Putin married Lyudmila in 1983.

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Earlier this week, Putin's elder daughter Maria Vorontsova spoke on a panel related to innovation and biotechnology. Born in 1985, Maria studied biology at St Petersburg University and medicine at Moscow State University. A specialist in endocrine system, she is listed as a researcher at Moscow's Endocrinology Research Centre.  Maria was married to Dutch businessperson Jorrit Joost Faassen, a former employee at Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom. The two have reportedly separated.

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Also read | Vladimir Putin: From Soviet fight-picking child to Russia's reigning president

Maria's younger sister Katerina was part of a panel at St Petersburg summit discussing the present and future of the Russian defence industry. Katerina has garnered limelight due to her talent as a rock n'roll dancer. In the summer of 2013, she married Kirill Shamalov, the son of a long-time friend of President Putin. Their wedding was held at an exclusive ski resort near St Petersburg. 

Also read | Who are Katerina and Maria, the Russian President's daughters hit by US sanctions?

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The sisters were targeted by the US sanctions in 2022 in the wake of the Bucha killings in Ukraine amid Russia-Ukraine war. 

Putin's daughters emerge out of the blue: What does it mean?

The splashy appearance of Putin's daughters may signal that the Russian president, 71, now in his fifth term, is looking at his legacy—and is willing to lean into family ties to expand it.

Also watch | Ukraine-Russia conflict: Joe Biden targets Russia's first family

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The two in the past have made some rare appearances on Russian state television. But the elder daughter Maria, while not being specifically political, has been slightly more vocal in promoting Putin's rule in the run-up to the country's presidential elections in March. 

(With inputs from agencies)