Dmitry Peskov’s daughter, Elizaveta Peskova, living life of luxury despite his claims otherwise

Dmitry Peskov’s remarks have drawn renewed attention to the often obnoxiously glitzy lifestyles of those privileged few Russians whose parents have managed to enrich themselves by propping up Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Peskov, who serves as Putin’s press secretary, made the dubious claim about his daughter Elizaveta Peskova, 25, while speaking to the Russian student news channel MGIMO 360 on Friday.

“She has never been a silver spoon in the mouth type,” Peskov said.

“She had a very challenging life, a difficult education, not only in Russia – she studied in France as well. And she always lived there very poorly, in very Spartan conditions.

“She was never a cake eater. She had to overcome a huge number of difficulties. She’s been searching for her calling for a long time. And thank God that now she has settled down and everything is normal.”

He said his daughter was not a “mazhor” – a pejorative term in Russian slang which refers to young socialites, with rich parents, who use their privilege to lead a decadent lifestyle.

“It is one thing if you are truly a mazhor and you’re a pig in clover, when you’ve got nothing to aspire to. It’s quite another when every day you need to overcome problems: where to rent accommodation a bit more cheaply, how to save money so that you can buy yourself a new pair of jeans at the end of the month.”

Those words jar with the images of Peskova’s life, as documented on her social media channels, which show her flitting between stunning holiday spots, flying on private jets and wearing expensive designer clothing.

It also contradicts information uncovered by the Anti-Corruption Foundation, founded by Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. According to the foundation, Peskova and her mother, Ekaterina Solotsinskaya, bought an apartment at Paris’s expensive Place Victor Hugo in 2016, worth an eye-watering 1.8 million euros ($3 million).

The property was purchased by Sirius, a French company owned by the mother-daughter duo: Solotsinskaya had a 75 per cent stake in it; Peskova the other 25 per cent.

Place Victor Hugo is located within walking distance of famous French landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, as well as the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, where many of Paris’s most expensive shops are located.

So much for needing to “rent accommodation a bit more cheaply”.

Peskova moved to Paris with Solotsinskaya after her parents separated, before returning to Moscow about five years ago.

While in France she attended a boarding school, studied law and international relations, completed an internship in the French Senate, and then worked for Aymeric Chauprade, an MP in the European Parliament.

In March of 2022, after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, the United States imposed sanctions on Peskova, along with her father, brother and stepmother, saying all four enjoyed “luxurious lifestyles that are incongruous with Peskov’s civil servant salary”, and were therefore “likely built on the ill-gotten wealth of Peskov’s connections to Putin”.

Peskova subsequently complained to Business Insider that the sanctions were “unfair”.

“For me, it’s totally unfair and unfounded,” she said.

“I was really surprised because it’s weird introducing sanctions on someone who is 24 years old and has nothing to do with the situation.

“I’m upset because I would like to travel, and I love different cultures.”

She said the sanctions would have little effect on her financially, and criticised Western countries for thinking such measures could ever impact Russian policy.

“It’s a very big delusion,” Peskova argued.

“Western countries just do not understand how the Russian system works.”

Business Insider noted her less-than-Spartan lifestyle, and the fact that she had founded a communications firm after returning to Russia. Peskova said she had earned her wealth.

“I completely understand that I have more opportunities than others because of course I don’t come from just a simple family,” she conceded.

“But you know, without a brain you cannot transform these possibilities into something.”

Peskova spoke out again in April of this year, apparently incensed by a news report on French television station LCI. That report suggested the war, and consequent sanctions against her, did not appear to be inflicting much pain.

“One might think that, with the war, her lifestyle has changed. Not at all,” the report said.

“Peskova continues to share her life between Moscow and Paris, passing in particular via Istanbul. She still stays in her luxurious apartment in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, and she also continues to run her company in Russia.”

LCI also noted the meteoric rise in earnings for Peskova’s business, whose clients are mostly Russian government ministries. Its reporter added a wry: “Merci, papa.” Thank you, dad.

The report then moved on to cover other privileged children of Russian officials.

Peskova responded by posting a video message on Instagram, accusing the station of being “totally unprofessional”.

“It is no secret that I lived in France for a long time with no more than 500 euros ($830) per month, despite the fact that I am the daughter of Peskov,” she said, speaking French.

“I studied, I worked in French enterprises and the European Parliament.

“I had the life of a young woman in France. And when I returned here (to Russia) five years ago, I completed my degree, (and then) have worked very hard to make my own money.”

She denied LCI’s claim that she had returned to Paris since 2022. The sanctions forbid her from doing so.

“Either you think I’m a complete idiot – no I am not – or you are sure that your French border guards are idiots,” said Peskova.

“I hope it will be interesting for you and your viewers to know that I am under sanctions from half the world. Ask yourself what a 25-year-old girl had to do to be declared an enemy by half the countries in the world.

“You speak every day about misinformation from the Russian media. You win the gold medal there easily.”

LCI said it stood by its reporting, and added that its sources maintained Ms Peskova had indeed returned to Paris, contrary to what she claimed.

“The main part of the report was still this idea that the children of these (Russian) officials escape the sacrifices of many other Russians, in particular during this war,” its anchor said.