Culture
Daughters of Russian oligarchs use Instagram to protest Ukraine war
Children of oligarchs and key Kremlin officials are publicly protesting the war on social media, highlighting the generational divide that threatens Vladimir Putin’s power in Russia
March 6, 2022 4:50pm
Updated: March 7, 2022 10:21am
Children of oligarchs and key Kremlin officials are publicly protesting the war on social media, highlighting the generational divide that threatens Vladimir Putin’s power in Russia, reports Fortune.
Among the young influencers pushing for peace is Maria Yumasheva, the 19-year-old granddaughter of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin and daughter of government advisor and billionaire Valentin Yumashev, who helped Putin succeed Yeltsin. Her last post on Instagram is a photo of the Ukrainian flag with the caption “No War.”
Russian women's last names generally end in "a" or "ya" to signify a feminine noun.
Maria attended an anti-war rally in London last week to show her solidarity with Ukrainians, Fortune reports. Her fiancé Feder Smolov, a striker from Dynamo Moscow and Russia, has also spoken out against the invasion.
Another is Elizaveta (Lisa) Peskova, the daughter of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. As her father represents Putin to the public, Lisa shared an Instagram story with the hashtag #notowar. It was quickly taken down.
Sofia Abramovich is a 26-year-old professional equestrian and daughter of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea FC.
In a post to her Instagram story, Sofia told her followers that Putin is the one that wants war, and that any rhetoric saying Russia wanted it was Kremlin propaganda.
Ksenia Sobchak, a TV personality and 2018 presidential candidate, posted art to her Instagram profile that called for a cease-fire.
Her parents are Anatoly Sobchak, the former mayor of St. Petersburg, and a Russian Senator. Ksenia promised not criticize Putin during her 2018 run due to his close relationships with her father. She fled to Turkey with her son following the outbreak of the war.
Normal Russian citizens have been less fortunate, with an estimated 8,100 people arrested at anti-war protests across the country, including about 4,000 in Moscow and 2,700 in St. Petersburg.
