Somehow, it’s just a little hard to imagine:

There’s Vladimir Putin — fresh from a Security Council meeting where he has just given the go-ahead to launch another 500 hypersonic missiles at Ukraine’s most populous cities — then taking his grandchildren to the nearest kiosk for morozhenoye (ice cream), and sitting down with them to relate the classic Russian fairy tale of Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden).

With a mischievous twinkle in his eye (the less-evil one), he asks them what they would like Grandfather Frost to leave under their tree this Christmas . . . knowing full well that he has already requisitioned for each of them from his good friend, Xi Jinping, three of China’s latest and greatest mechanical toys: the rifle-totin’, rootin’-shootin’, AI-designed and operated, Robot Soldier Dog. And stockings full of live ammo, of course.

I know, I know . . . that is not the usual image projected by the Vladimir Putin we all love to hate. But, after nearly 24 years as head of the Russian government during which he rarely (if ever) acknowledged that he even had children, let alone grandchildren, suddenly two adult daughters have not only come out of hiding . . . they have emerged as full-blown, very public, very accomplished and highly-educated professionals who suddenly are all too happy — or at least willing — to pimp for dear old Dad.

Well, maybe “pimp” is a bit harsh. But “campaign” no longer works, since he’s already been reelected for another six-year term. How about “promote”? “support”? “endorse”? “build up”? Whatever you call it, they have come out with a full-speed-ahead public relations spiel that could only have been inspired by the Trump kids.

The only thing Proud Papa Putin has said about these two impressive women in the past is that one works “in science” and the other “in education.” He also has said that he has grandchildren, but not how many, what their names are, or how old they are. He keeps his private life private.

And now here they are, attending and speaking at the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), a summit sometimes referred to as the Russian equivalent of Davos. And as it turns out, his bragging rights — though he has spurned them until now — are greater than one would think. In fact, Vorontsova, age 39, is an endocrinologist and genetics researcher with New Medical Company (NOMEKO), who — according to an investigative report published in January of this year by none other than Aleksei Navalny’s team — earned a startling 944 million rubles ($10.7 million) from 2019 to 2022. She is also a member of the Fundamental Medicine Faculty of Moscow State University. So yes, you could say she “works in” both science and education.

Tikhonova, the younger daughter, has a master’s degree in physics and mathematics; she defended her dissertation on “Mathematical problems of correcting the activity of vestibular mechanoreceptors.” (I don’t even know what to say about that.) She is director of Innopraktika, a $1.7 billion development project to create a science center at Moscow State University. Again, a blend of science and education.

So why the sudden leap into the spotlight . . . and why now? According to Ronald Marks, a former CIA officer with 38 years of service in the U.S. intelligence community, it’s all about Putin’s growing awareness of his own mortality, and his desire to establish a legacy:

“Remember it’s Putin world and we just live in it. That’s an extension of him . . . his desire to recreate the Russian empire, his desire to show himself as the most powerful guy in Russia. Young daughters represent vitality for him.” [Shannon Vavra, Daily Beast, June 7, 2024.]

Perhaps so. Maybe he’s even grooming them for government positions while he’s still in charge. As with everything he does, we just have to wait and see.

But as for those grandchildren, of whom there are supposedly three . . . well, I’ll believe the whole “Pop-Pop” role when I see it. Somehow, I can’t picture him bouncing babies on his knee. Teaching them judo might be a little more his speed.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
6/10/24