Where is Lyudmila Putina? Putin reportedly moved ex-wife to Siberian bunker amid Ukraine attack
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to cause damage and destruction, questions have begun to rise about Russian President Vladimir Putin's health. There are rumors the decision to attack Ukraine, and prolong the war despite widespread international condemnation comes as Putin is battling some health conditions. Fearing things could escalate, he has reportedly moved his family to a nuclear bunker in Siberia.
Many have dismissed that claim citing its source - political scientist Valeryy Solovey known inside Russia as a conspiracy theorist. However, it has also raised questions about Putin's family. If it is true, who exactly did Putin move? It is believed Putin has two daughters - Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova with his ex-wife Lyudmila Ocheretnaya. However, Putin has never explicitly acknowledged them as his kin.
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That leaves Alina Kabaeva, the Olympic gymnast who is believed to be Putin's current girlfriend, and Luiza Rozova, a child Putin is believed to have had with Svetlana Krivonogikh. It's unclear where they are, given the Russian leader's crackdown on social media. But what about Putin's ex-wife? Did Putin reach out to her and move her as well?
Where is Lyudmila Ocheretnaya?
Formerly known as Lyudmila Putina, the former air hostess was married to the Russian president for 30 years, before they divorced in 2013. "We will remain very close people forever. I am grateful to Vladimir for his support," Putina said at the time. However, Putin had a vastly different reaction, saying in a statement, "Our marriage is over. We hardly see each other. Each of us has our own lives.”
From the statement, it appears Putin has since distanced himself from his ex-wife, and she too appears to have moved on. All mentions of her were erased from the Kremlin's website, and Putin's spokespersons have since refused to answer any questions about her. In 2017, it emerged Putina had married Artur Ocheretny and taken his last name. The couple were snapped at London's Heathrow Airport and later at a villa in Southwest France.
That was the last time Ocheretnaya was seen or heard from in public. Since then, there have been no reports of her whereabouts, even as her daughters increasingly step into the spotlight. Both Vorontsova and Tikhonova were present at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2021, where Tikhonova even spoke. Given the clear distance between them, it certainly seems as if Putin no longer has anything to do with his ex-wife or even his own daughters.
For that reason, the reports his family were moved to Siberia should be taken with a pinch of salt, for now. As for the president himself, it appears he is still very much in the Kremlin. On March 2, the Kremlin released a photo of Putin meeting with the governor of St. Petersburg, which appeared to show him "ashen and bloated." The image quickly led to rumors Putin was unwell, possibly in part due to his steroid intake. Even if he is unwell, it appears he is in no mood to let Ukraine go.
