Russian President Vladimir Putin has developed a close relationship with Ekaterina “Katya” Mizulina, 39, educated in London, who is now prominent for her role in censoring online dissent against the Russian leadership.
The Daily Mail, originating from Ukrainian media, suggest Mizulina, the offspring of pro-Putin and anti-Ukrainian Senator Elena Mizulina, aged 69, leads Russia’s Safe Internet League and has recently been labelled as Putin’s “morality guardian” for her efforts to quell online critique, especially regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
Putin, aged 71, known for his long-term association with Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 40, with whom he reportedly shares two or three children, has been subject to speculation over his personal life. The pair are believed to reside within an expansive network of residences linked to the Russian president.
The rumour mill in Russian and Ukrainian social media circles is abuzz with discussions about Putin’s supposed new intimate association with Mizulina, who is described as a staunch supporter.
Olga Romanova, a Russian human rights advocate, commented to Ukraine’s Channel 24 on the compatibility of Mizulina’s profile with Putin’s preferences, drawing parallels between Mizulina and Putin’s alleged former partner, Svetlana Krivonogikh, a nightclub owner and millionaire from St. Petersburg, and the mother to one of Putin’s alleged children, Luiza, aged 20.
Mizulina, who graduated in 2004 from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London with a degree in art history and Indonesian language, has a background as a translator for Russian delegations in China. Her father, Professor Mikhail Mizulin, aged 69, is a noted philosopher and academic in Moscow.
A vocal advocate for internet censorship, Mizulina has pushed for penalties and sanctions against media platforms and social networks that breach her standards. In a recent interaction with students, she demanded an apology from one who questioned mandatory military service, citing Putin’s stringent laws as a warning.
