Support The Moscow Times!

Navalny Outs Kremlin Spokesman's Alleged Son

Screenshot Alexei Navalny Youtube Channel

Opposition leader and head of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Alexei Navalny has struck at Russia’s elite once again, this time naming and shaming the alleged offspring of Vladimir Putin’s spokesman.

In a blog post titled “A Brilliant Father’s Golden Child,” Navalny alleges that Nikolai Choles, the supposed son of Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, is living well beyond his means.

Choles grew up in Britain before moving back to Russia around 2011, Navalny said, where he has enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle despite only holding down temporary employment between periods of joblessness.

According to Navalny’s post, Choles was briefly employed by the state-funded RT news outlet and dabbled in several other projects.

But these spurts of employment could hardly fund the expensive cars and properties in his name, Navalny suggests, or the glamorous lifestyle — documented on social media — that routinely featured sailing yachts or private plane trips. 

The Instagram account Navalny referred to described Choles as “an amateur horse jumper.” Choles did not respond to a Moscow Times request for comment. However, speaking to the RBC outlet he called Navalny’s report “a provocation.” 

“This is just a nightmare,” he was cited as saying. “How else could you consider this? It’s horrible."

Navalny said it was “an example of how, in Russia, where 20 million people live beneath the poverty line and 70 percent can only dream of a salary of 45,000 rubles, it is possible to have a wonderful life. At the highest level. Without doing anything."

This is not the first time that Navalny has taken a stab at Peskov. In 2015, he claimed that Putin’s long-time spokesman owns a 37-million-ruble watch that he could not possibly afford on his official state salary. 

Soon after, he published what he said was evidence that Peskov had rented an extravagant yacht for 26 million rubles ($400,000) a week as part of his honeymoon.

Navalny is hoping to run for president next year, despite a criminal conviction that legally bars him from doing so. Peskov did  not issue an immediate response to the opposition leader's report on Thursday.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more