PoliticsSaturday, November 14, 20261 min read

Putin's grandson takes mother's surname as father's name resembles Zelenskyy’s

By GOKUL ANKARI · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Adrian Tikhonov, born in August 2025 to Katerina Tikhonova and ballet dancer Igor Zelensky, was officially registered nearly a year later under his mother's surname. Observers note the delay and name selection could stem from procedural matters, privacy concerns, or the geopolitical climate surrounding the war with Ukraine. Furthermore, the couple's eight-year-old daughter, Elsa, originally registered as Zelenskaya, is now also believed to go by Tikhonova.

Key points

The Russian president's grandson was registered under the surname Tikhonov rather than us…: The Russian president's grandson was registered under the surname Tikhonov rather than using his father's surname.
The older sibling Elsa was originally registered as Zelenskaya but is now believed to use…: The older sibling Elsa was originally registered as Zelenskaya but is now believed to use the surname Tikhonova.
Extended family members across multiple relationships utilize alternative surnames such a…: Extended family members across multiple relationships utilize alternative surnames such as Vorontsova, Rozova, and Spiridonov.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Russian President

Vladimir Putin's grandson was registered under his mother's surname rather than his father's, according to a report by the news outlet Agentsvo. The child, Adrian, is the son of Putin's daughter Katerina Tikhonova and ballet dancer Igor Zelensky.

Adrian was born on August 15, 2025, but his birth was registered only 11 months later, the report said. His surname was recorded as Tikhonov, the masculine form of his mother's family name.

The choice has drawn attention because his father shares the surname Zelensky with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although the two men are not related. Putin has been leading Russia's war against Ukraine since February 2022.

The reason behind the delayed registration and the decision to use Tikhonov instead of Zelensky remains unclear. According to the report, delay could be linked to efforts by the president's family to keep the birth private or complications arising from the parents having different surnames.

Who are Adrian's parents, Katerina Tikhonova and Igor Zelensky?

Tikhonova, 40, is Putin's daughter from his marriage to former wife Lyudmila Ocheretnaya. She is a former rock-and-roll…

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Key Points

The Russian president's grandson was registered under the surname Tikhonov rather than us…: The Russian president's grandson was registered under the surname Tikhonov rather than using his father's surname.
The older sibling Elsa was originally registered as Zelenskaya but is now believed to use…: The older sibling Elsa was originally registered as Zelenskaya but is now believed to use the surname Tikhonova.
Extended family members across multiple relationships utilize alternative surnames such a…: Extended family members across multiple relationships utilize alternative surnames such as Vorontsova, Rozova, and Spiridonov.

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In short

Key Points

The Russian president's grandson was registered under the surname Tikhonov rather than us…: The Russian president's grandson was registered under the surname Tikhonov rather than using his father's surname.
The older sibling Elsa was originally registered as Zelenskaya but is now believed to use…: The older sibling Elsa was originally registered as Zelenskaya but is now believed to use the surname Tikhonova.
Extended family members across multiple relationships utilize alternative surnames such a…: Extended family members across multiple relationships utilize alternative surnames such as Vorontsova, Rozova, and Spiridonov.

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Putin's grandson takes mother's surname as father's name resembles Zelenskyy’s

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