Ksenia Shoigu, the glam daughter of defence minister Sergei Shoigu, has been married to fitness influencer Alexey Stolyarov for several years. They seemed to be very happy together, having welcomed a baby girl in 2021.
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How was their split revealed?
The couple left thousands of fans shocked after they appeared on the Russian news channel 360° to announce their separation. They were speaking at the Race of Heroes obstacle race in Alabino, in the Moscow region, where they first met in 2019. Shoigu explained that, due to incompatible work schedules, the pair ‘haven’t been a couple for quite some time’. She stated that they remain ‘partners and very close friends’.
Ksenia Shoigu, daughter of defence chief Sergei, seemed happily married to influencer Alexey Stolyarov, 33, before the couple appeared on TV in Russia to announce their splithttps://t.co/8MbBgzRvcLpic.twitter.com/IMJBbNKNMP
— Daily Star (@dailystar) August 7, 2023
Stolyarov agreed, and explained that the couple are going to spend more time with their daughter:
We are going to her now! We also plan to develop sports projects, we remain in the same team
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How is Vladimir Putin involved?
Russian social media users are not buying the clashing work schedule story, given Stolyarov’s anti-war stance and history of conflicts with Putin supporters. Rumours have been swirling that Putin forced Shoigu to leave her husband.
According to Metro, one Russian social media user posted:
Everyone around the Kremlin knew that Shoigu’s opponents several times brought examples of Stolyarov’s [online posts] into Putin’s office.
The Russian President often meets Ksenia Shoigu at military-related events and reportedly put pressure on her to leave her husband, who refused to be conscripted into Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Narrarivy Telegram channel also claimed that Putin had asked Shoigu ‘twice’ to ‘shut [Stolyarov] up’.
The account alleged that during the most recent ‘conversation with Ksenia about a divorce’, the minister of defence’s daughter ‘agreed to publicly disown Stolyarov.’
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