A Russian billionaire tycoon has been stripped of half his wealth after allegedly swapping Vladimir Putin’s secretive daughter for a London-based socialite, it has been claimed.
Kirill Shamalov has been linked with glamorous Zhanna Volkova after reportedly splitting with the Russian President’s rock’n’roll dancing daughter Katerina Tikhonova.
But there are claims the 35-year-old businessman has lost half his wealth as alleged punishment for the ‘split’.
He is alleged to have swapped Tikhonova for London-based Volkova, suggested news agency Open Media which highlighted romantic pictures of her dancing with a mystery man at a Valentine’s Day party last year.
Russian billionaire tycoon Kirill Shamalov has been stripped of half his wealth after swapping Vladimir Putin’s secretive daughter Katerina Tikhonova (pictured in a dance performance) for a London-based socialite, it has been claimed
Shamalov has been linked with glamorous Zhanna Volkova (pictured) after reportedly splitting with the Russian President’s rock’n’roll dancing daughter Katerina Tikhonova
There are claims the 35-year-old Shamalov (left) has lost half his wealth as alleged punishment for the ‘split’. He has been linked with London-based socialite Volkova (right)
Her suitor’s face is deliberately hidden in these and other images.
Neither Shamalov nor Volkova – whose social media suggests she lives in London and was previously married to a senior Moscow city official – has commented on the report.
The Kremlin has adopted its usual policy of refusing to discuss the strongman’s family – just as it never confirmed 31-year-old Katerina’s 2013 marriage to Shamalov, son of a long-time Putin crony Nikolay Shamalov.
Katerina is best known for her spectacular ‘boogie woogie’ Acrobatic Rock’n’roll performances in dance competitions yet there have been claims in Moscow that Putin is gradually grooming her as his eventual successor in 2024.
The pair wed in a sumptuous ceremony at Igora ski resort near St Petersburg and the couple rode in a traditional sleigh pulled by three white horses.
He is alleged to have swapped Tikhonova for London-based Volkova, suggested news agency Open Media which highlighted romantic pictures of her dancing with a mystery man at a Valentine’s Day party last year. Her suitor’s face is deliberately hidden in these and other images
Neither Shamalov nor Volkova (pictured) – whose social media suggests she lives in London and was previously married to a senior Moscow city official – has commented on the report
The Kremlin has adopted its usual policy of refusing to discuss the strongman’s family – just as it never confirmed 31-year-old Katerina’s (pictured) 2013 marriage to Shamalov, son of a long-time Putin crony Nikolay Shamalov
Comments from Russians say Shamalov, who has been linked with socialite Volkova (pictured) has taken a huge risk in splitting from Putin’s daughter
All guests were sworn to secrecy, and no official announcements were made, because Putin forbids discussion of his family matters.
The relationship catapulted Shamalov to billionaire status, but a key element of his wealth was reportedly held in trust as a Putin family member.
The end of her marriage was reported by Bloomberg citing anonymous sources which claimed the split means the tycoon was forced in April last year to divest a 4.3 per cent stake in Sibur gas and petrochemicals giant which he had been awarded ahead of his wedding to the Russian president’s younger daughter.
He made ‘zero’ from the deal, and as a result has lost his billionaire status, it was reported.
Sources close to Shamalov denied this version of events, suggesting he suffered from an unlucky investment, but he declined to comment.
As recently as last year his wealth was put at $1.3 billion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured with his family, hugging daughter Ekaterina
Connections: Shamalov is the son of a long-time Vladimir Putin crony Nikolay Shamalov (pictured)
Now it is estimated at $800 million dollars by Bloomberg but it maybe less because of interest payments on a massive loan, and possible divorce costs, say Moscow reports.
Speculation in Russia has also pointed to an ‘epidemic’ of divorces in Putin’s circle, alleging that in some cases such moves can be made to protect giant family fortunes from new US or EU sanctions.
Comments from Russians say Shamalov has taken a huge risk in splitting from Putin’s daughter.
‘Shamalov must be have balls of steel,’ said one.
‘He must be thanking God and all his saints that he is alive and free,’ writes another.
Reports last year suggested Putin is quietly grooming Katerina – also known as Ekaterina – for possible ‘tsardom’ to takeover from him.
Apart from fame as a leading Acrobatic Rock’n’roll dancer in Russia, she has her own business career in charge of key investments for Moscow State University.
Zhanna Volkova is pictured with a mystery man rumoured to be Shamalov in Moscow on June 10 2017
Another picture shows Volkova holding hands with a mystery man rumoured to be the Russian tycoon on September 7 last year
Shamalov has been linked in Russian media to the Moscow socialite Zhanna Volkova, who is said to have a love of Britain
Who is Vladimir Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova?
She is the boogie-woogie dancing daughter of Vladimir Putin who some say could one day take over from the Russian President.
Mystery has long surrounded Katerina Tikhonova with the Kremlin having attempted to keep her out of the public eye.
The 31-year-old was named as the strongman’s child in 2015 by a senior Russian businessman and then in November by a dance colleague – but both later changed their stories.
Putin and her mother, Lyudmila Putina, divorced in 2013 and Katerina uses a surname inherited from her grandmother.
Mystery has long surrounded Katerina Tikhonova (pictured), the rumoured daughter of Vladimir Putin, with the Kremlin having attempted to keep her out of the public eye
While her identity has been widely assumed, it has never been confirmed by Tikhonova herself, her representatives or the Kremlin, which says it does not comment on the private lives of Putin’s close relatives.
Tikhonova runs publicly-funded projects at Moscow State University and serves as the WRRC’s vice president for expansion and marketing.
She is a major player in acrobatic rock’n’roll, a niche dance discipline she has competed in and helps manage through senior positions at the WRRC and the Russian national federation.
She was also married to Kirill Shamalov, the son of one of Putin’s closest friends, who went on to make a fortune of at least $1 billion through dealings in Russia’s largest petrochemical company.
The couple wed in a sumptuous ceremony at Igora ski resort near St Petersburg and rode in a traditional sleigh pulled by three white horses.
Tikhonova is a major player in acrobatic rock’n’roll, a niche dance discipline she has competed in and helps manage through senior positions at the WRRC and the Russian national federation
Katerina Tikhonova, 31, is pictured, second from right, at a dancing conference
All guests were sworn to secrecy, and no official announcements were made.
However, reports in Russia suggest the couple have since split with Shamalov linked to a Moscow socialite.
Tikhonova may be best known for her dancing, but there have been claims in Moscow that Putin is gradually grooming her as his eventual successor in 2024.
Reports last year suggested Putin is quietly grooming Katerina – also known as Ekaterina – for possible ‘tsardom’ to takeover.
‘Trying to run a woman through an election campaign in Russia is quite an interesting and modern political experiment,’ wrote Natalia Gevorkyan, a Putin biographer.
Tikhonova (pictured in a dance performance) runs publicly-funded projects at Moscow State University and serves as the WRRC’s vice president for expansion and marketing
‘Putin does not have a (male) heir – at least officially – but he has two daughters, and one of them, Ekaterina, has already entered the public space with several huge and costly projects,’ she wrote for Radio Svoboda website.
‘In 2024, Ekaterina will be 38. In theory, she can take part in the presidential elections and provide a calm time in old age for her father and his closest friends.’
Putin has said previously of his daughters from his marriage to ex-wife Lyudmila: ‘They are taking the first steps in their careers, but are making good progress. They are not involved in business or politics.
‘They have never been “star” children, they have never got pleasure from the spotlight being directed on them. They just live their own lives.
‘They live in Russia … They have never been educated anywhere except Russia.
‘I am proud of them, they continue to study and are working. My daughters speak three European languages fluently.’
‘Trying to run a woman through an election campaign in Russia is quite an interesting and modern political experiment,’ wrote Natalia Gevorkyan, a Putin biographer who also appears to hint the president has an undisclosed son without providing more details.
‘Putin does not have a (male) heir – at least officially – but he has two daughters, and one of them, Ekaterina, has already entered the public space with several huge and costly projects,’ she wrote for Radio Svoboda website.
‘In 2024, Ekaterina will be 38. In theory, she can take part in the presidential elections and provide a calm time in old age for her father and his closest friends.’
Putin recently announced he will contest March’s Russian presidential election from which a key opposition challenger Alexei Navalny has been banned from standing.
Putin is overwhelming favourite to secure another six year term.
Putin recently announced he will contest March’s Russian presidential election from which a key opposition challenger Alexei Navalny has been banned from standing
Under the Russian constitution, he would be disqualified from standing again in 2024, when he will be 71.
Katerina’s sister Maria, 32, is reportedly married to a Dutch businessman with whom she has a daughter, making Putin a grandfather.
Putin has said previously of his daughters from his marriage to ex-wife Lyudmila: ‘They are taking the first steps in their careers, but are making good progress.
‘They are not involved in business or politics. They have never been ‘star’ children, they have never got pleasure from the spotlight being directed on them. They just live their own lives.
‘They live in Russia… They have never been educated anywhere except Russia.
‘I am proud of them, they continue to study and are working. My daughters speak three European languages fluently.’