The two, believed to be daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made a rare public appearance at a major economic forum in the president's hometown of St. Petersburg this week.
Putin keeps details of his family life closely guarded and has never publicly acknowledged that the women, Maria Vorontsova, 39, and Katerina Tikhonova, 37, are his daughters.
However, the pair have been widely linked to Putin through various media reports, and in 2022 the US Treasury Department sanctioned them as “daughters of Russian President Putin.”
On Thursday and Friday, he will appear on a panel at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia's main annual business summit, and Putin is due to deliver a key speech later on Friday.
Tikhonova, a technology executive who works in a field linked to the Russian military, was speaking on a panel Thursday about the defense sector's role in strengthening Russia's “technological sovereignty.”
“Nation sovereignty has been one of the key themes in recent years and is the foundation of Russia's security,” Tikhonova said in her opening remarks delivered via video link.
Vorontsova, a biology researcher who heads the National Institute of Genetics, spoke on a panel on biodiversity innovations on Friday. Organizers listed her in event brochures as a member of the Presidium of the Russian Association for the Advancement of Science.
The pair have taken on more public roles in recent years, including speaking at various forums and industry events, but their public appearances remain rare.
While the two had previously attended SPIEF as guests, independent Russian media reported that this was their first time taking part in the official program.
Putin has occasionally mentioned the existence of his “daughters” in public during his 25 years in power, but has never provided details, confirmed their identities or been explicitly photographed with them.
Putin's ex-wife Lyudmila gave birth to two children, Maria and Katerina, during their marriage in 1985 and 1986.
In the early 2000s, the Kremlin released photos of Putin on holiday in which his wife and two blonde teenage daughters turned away from the camera and hid their faces.
