Vladimir Putin sends terrifying message to Russian elite by going after his alleged 'goddaughter'

Ksenia Sobchak is known as Russia’s ‘Paris Hilton’ before she became a prominent TV journalist, she also ran for President as an opposition candidate in the 2018 elections.

An arrest warrant for criticising the Ukraine War

Sobchak’s arrest warrant was based on her criticism of the Ukraine War in YouTube videos, The Telegraph reports.

Pursuing Sobchak’s arrest warrant came as a surprise to many since she is also the daughter of former Putin boss and mentor, Anatoly Sobchak, who was St. Petersburg's first democratically elected mayor.

Vladimir Putin who at the time was deputy mayor allegedly became Ksenia’s godfather, though this remains unconfirmed.

Russia’s law against criticising the ‘special military operation in Ukraine’ sends dissidents to up to 10 years in prison. Apparently, Putin’s government does not spare even high-profile Russians as Sobchak’s case reveals.

Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin analyst, says Vladimir Putin is sending a message to the elites, one in which zero tolerance will be shown towards voicing out criticism on Ukraine, The Telegraph reports.

‘If they can arrest the daughter of Putin's patron... it means there are no untouchables, for some members of the elites, an arrest warrant for Sobchak is a blazing sign in the skies.’

‘Probably the most famous Russian to flee the country during this period’

Albeit Sobchak’s whereabouts are not confirmed, reports suggest she skillfully diverted authorities by booking decoy trips from Moscow to Dubai with Turkey as a final destination.

Instead, she allegedly fled through Belorussiato end up in Lithuania, Sky News reports.

Sobchak is probably the most high-profile Russian to flee the country during this period.

In the past, she was accused by anti-Putin opponents of enjoying royalty status and playing her part in many Vladimir Putin façades.

Alexei Navalny, the jailed opposition leader, once described Sobchak’s run for president as a Kremlin ploy to legitimise staged elections and called her ‘a parody liberal candidate’.

She is believed to have enjoyed free reign by the Kremlin in criticising the government, and in posing tricky questions during her interviews with Vladimir Putin, which analysts say were highly choreographed.

Sources used:

-The Telegraph: ‘Putin's goddaughter' flees Russia hours before agents swoop to arrest her’

-Sky News: ‘Ksenia Sobchak: Police raid home of 'Russian Paris Hilton' and Putin critic’

- The Guardian: 'Russian journalist and Putin’s rumoured goddaughter flees to Lithuania'