Putin's grandson 'is barred from using his father's surname - because it is Zelensky'
Vladimir Putin's new grandson has reportedly been given his mother's surname Tikhonov instead of his father's Zelensky, according to an investigation.
The boy, Adrian, was born on August 15, 2025, but his existence has only recently been revealed. He is the son of Putin's second daughter Katerina Tikhonova, 40, a multimillionaire tech executive overseeing key Russian AI developments, and Igor Zelensky, 57, a ballet dancer and former artistic director of the Bavarian State Ballet.
Surname Decision
The child's surname is an exact match with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, though they are not related. The couple's first child, Elsa, now eight, was initially given her father's surname Zelenskaya but is now believed to use Ms Tikhonova.
It took 11 months after Adrian's birth for him to be registered, with his surname shown as Tikhonov, the male version of his mother's family name. By law, births should be registered within a month after birth.
The reason for the delay is unclear. It could be related to the Putin family's desire to conceal the birth of the president's fourth grandchild, or to difficulties arising from the different surnames of the parents - Tikhonova and Zelensky.
Family Background
All five of Putin's children live under assumed names. Putin also has two young sons, Ivan, 11, and Vladimir, eight, with his partner Alina Kabaeva, who were given the surname Spiridonov rather than Putin. The name appears linked to Putin's paternal grandfather Spiridon Putin, who was a personal chef for Soviet leaders.
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