Vladimir Putin's 'goddaughter' has been forced to humbly apologize for her participation in a 'loose, almost naked high society party' that shocked Russia's frontline soldiers.
TV star, media owner, former Playboy model and former presidential election candidate Ksenia Sobchak, 42, is among a group of celebrities ordered by the Kremlin regime to say sorry after attending a party in Moscow last week organized by the police was closed down.
Many believe attendees will face fines, jail time or official expulsion if they fail to express deep regret over the two-day event at the Mutabor nightclub. Reportedly priced at £11,000 per ticket, on December 20-21.
Russian media claimed that nude images were projected on walls and same-sex couples were kissed at parties before citizens reported the party to authorities. accusatory participants in violating Russia's draconian LGBTQ+ “propaganda laws” and failing to uphold “traditional values.”
A new class action lawsuit means they now face huge fines – up to £8.5 million – which will be sent to support Putin's fighters in Ukraine.
Ksenia Sobchak at the 'Almost Naked' party in Moscow, Russia, December 20, 2023
President Vladimir Putin meets Ksenia Sobchak at the Kremlin in 2020. She is known as Putin's goddaughter after he attended her baptism
Ksenia Sobchak (pictured), 40, TV presenter and 'liberal' Russian presidential candidate in 2018, wore a nude Sorelle outfit
Sobchak, 42, apologized in a video shared online and said she did not mean to cause offense
Ms Sobchak – whose infant Orthodox baptism was attended by Putin long before he became president – said: “I can tell you that for myself and for my friends I absolutely did not want to offend anyone.
'If anyone was offended by my appearance, I apologize. I love my country, I am a journalist working in Russia.
Ksenia Sobchak on the cover of Russian Playboy
“And I want everyone to know that I don't want to cause this feeling of hatred and anger towards me or other artists because of such stupid accidents.”
She showed up braless to the party in a nude Sorelle outfit.
Previously, Sobchak had dismissed the need to say sorry. She had said: 'Where and when bare-bottomed adults go is their own business.
'The world is not fair; it has always been that way, is and always will be that way.
'Somewhere people are being murdered, somewhere children are starving, and somewhere else [people are] drinking champagne at the same time. No grief can last forever.”
One reveler – Rapper Vacio, 25, real name Nikolai Vasilyev, who caused outrage by wearing nothing but a Balenciaga sock on his manhood – has already been jailed for 15 days and fined £1,710 for petty hooliganism and 'gay propaganda'.
This despite his apology: “I apologize for offending other people's feelings and participating in such a terrible video at such a difficult time for our country.” [due to the war],' he said.
Another – party organizer Nastya Ivleeva, 32, an influencer, TV presenter, socialite and ex-editor-in-chief of Playboy Russia – admitted the event was “completely inappropriate” amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
At the hedonistic party she had boasted that she was carrying £200,000 [23 million roubles] diamonds and emeralds on her back.
Amid the backlash, she rushed to delete anti-war posts online and now says: “I'm sorry this happened and that it was impossible to control.”
The celebrities are believed to have been forcefully apologized by Putin's top aide Dmitry Peskov.
Singer Philipp Kirkorov, 56, personally apologized to Peskov.
Former Eurovision Song Contest participant Dima Bilan (42) said: “I perfectly understand the outrage of our people, and even more so of our boys who protect us on the front line.”
Russia's conservative voices targeted the party attendees, saying the behavior was inappropriate while Russia was at war.
An angry mobile soldier recorded a tirade against Putin about the “party freaks”, including his goddaughter Sobchak.
“If we fight here, if we rot in the trenches, they will have 23 million rubles [£200,000] jewelry on their asses and they brag about it,” he raged.
Vladimir Putin's goddaughter Ksenia Sobchak was pictured at the 'Almost Naked' party in Moscow yesterday
The party – dress code 'almost naked' – was organized by fashionable blogger and socialite Nastya Ivleeva (pictured), 32, a TV presenter and actress
Many complained that the party came because Putin had emphasized a Russia that fought for traditional values yet showed degeneration
Ekaterina Mizulina, member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, said: “Our soldiers at the front are absolutely not fighting for this.”
The frothy TV propagandist Vladimir Soloviev stormed: “How morally deaf do you have to be?
'Our boys are now fighting at the front.
'To what extent should you not understand anything at all about the country, about Putin?
“The Commander in Chief raises a glass to our victory, and you bastards – who are you supporting?
“You can't even imagine how people hate and despise you.”