- Multiple reports claim that a Russian media star and strong ties with Putin fled the country.
- Ksenia Sobchak was reportedly Putin’s god-daughter and is currently in Lithuania, an official said.
- Sobchak left her home after it was searched for evidence in a high-profile extortion investigation.
Multiple reports have claimed that President Vladimir Putin’s god-daughter is a prominent journalist who fled Russia.
Ksenia Sobchak departed Russia to enter Lithuania with an Israeli passport on Tuesday. TASS, a state-controlled media outlet, reported, citing unnamed officials in law enforcement.
Police raided her Moscow residence Wednesday in an extortion case against one of her coworkers. TASSAgain, this time citing an anonymous law enforcement source. The source claimed that she was under arrest warrant.
According to the TASS report, Sobchak tried to fool police by purchasing tickets to Dubai and Turkey. Then, he fled to Lithuania via Belarus by Land late Tuesday.
A viral video on social media that Insider was unable to verify shows her walking alongside two men across the border between Belarus and Lithuania.
Sobchak is the founder of Ostorozhno.Media and fled after Kirill Sukhanov, her commercial director, was detained. His house was searched.
Follwing Sukhanov’s arrest, she Telegram postThe case is “nonsense” according to the government.
Arian Romanovsky (ex-editor of Russian Tatler magazine) was also taken into custody in this case. TASS reported.
Russian authorities accuse the pair of extortion against Rostec’s head defense conglomerate Rostec. TASS reported.
Misha Japaridze/AP
Sobchak, aged 40, is a well-known TV anchor and socialite, who rose to fame through reality TV shows. She later disassociated herself from her image as “Russian’s Paris Hilton”. You can make a bid for Russia to be the president .
Anatoly Sobchak is her daughter. He was the first post-Soviet mayor in St Petersburg in early 1990s.
Putin has since described Sobchak as a mentorKsenia, Putin’s goddaughter, has been long rumored.
Although she has sometimes taken a liberal stance, and has criticised Putin’s government at times, some critics cast doubts on her presidential run. As a feintRussia’s competitive elections to give the impression.
Putin has been tough on Russian media outlets over the past years. This effort has almost silenced independent journalism in Russia, since the invasion of Ukraine.
Lithuanian counterintelligence chief Darius Jauniškis said Sobchak has the right to remain in Lithuania for 90 days, TASS reported.
