The daughter of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has been “forced” to part ways with her “pacifist” partner “after pressure from Vladimir Putin.”
The glamorous Ksenia Shoigu, 32, and the influencer Alexey Stolyarov, 33, one of the most famous fitness instructors in Russia, publicly announced their divorce during a television interview.
He sparked fury among pro-war elements with hints on social media that he did not support his father-in-law’s brutal war being waged in Ukraine while being regularly filmed in exotic locations abroad.
Rumors also spread that Ksenia had a lover.
His announcement reportedly came after performances before the Russian president, who regularly meets Ksenia at military-related events.
Glamorous Ksenia Shoigu (pictured), 32, and influencer Alexey Stolyarov, 33, one of Russia’s most famous fitness instructors, publicly announced their divorce during a TV interview amid rumors that they were getting together. they were forced to divide over Stolyarov’s anti-war views.
Alexey Stolyarov has stirred fury among pro-war elements with hints on social media that he did not back his father-in-law’s brutal war while being regularly filmed in exotic locations abroad.
Stolyarov, with nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram, so enraged Wagner’s boss and warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin that he on multiple occasions demanded that Shoigu’s son-in-law be mobilized to the front and be taught how to fight.
“Everyone in the Kremlin knew that Shoigu’s opponents repeatedly brought examples of Stolyarov’s (online posts) to Putin’s office,” one account said.
Putin had “twice asked” Shoigu to “shut up (his) son-in-law,” according to the Narrarivy Telegram channel.
“The last conversation with Ksenia about the divorce was recently… She agreed to publicly disown Stolyarov.”
The couple had been seen frolicking on a beach and visiting Dubai during the war and appeared to be in love.
He was accused of being ‘unpatriotic’.
Ksenia stood next to Stolyarov as she told an interviewer: ‘We haven’t been a couple for quite some time.
‘But at the same time we are very close partners and friends…’
He stated that Milana, his youngest daughter, “is always happy.”
The couple (pictured), prominent figures in the Russian media landscape, met in 2019 and their daughter was born two years later.
Stolyarov, with nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram, so enraged Wagner’s boss and warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin that he on multiple occasions demanded that Shoigu’s son-in-law be mobilized to the front and be taught how to fight. In the photo: Ksenia Shoigu and her father (right)
In the same interview, Stolyarov said: “We did not make this decision at the moment, it was already made a few months ago… For us, the most important thing was that Milana did not feel that we were no longer together.”
Ksenia announced: ‘Let’s go see her right now.’
He said they would continue to work together on “many sports projects.” We’re still on the same team.’
The couple, prominent figures in the Russian media landscape, met in 2019 and their daughter was born two years later.
Some see the move as part of a broader campaign to bolster Sergei Shoigu’s image amid continuing speculation that Putin’s health is failing and that the embattled defense minister could succeed him.
Shoigu, who has come under fire for his handling of the war in Ukraine, recently made a high-profile four-day trip to North Korea, while sidelining or firing several top generals believed to have criticized his war management.
“Over the past month, there has been a lot of talk in Moscow about strengthening Shoigu,” a source said.
Such moves are seen as having Putin’s approval and the split announcement was similar to the dictator’s own announcement a decade ago about his divorce from First Lady Lyudmila.
Pro-Kremlin analyst Sergei Markov said: “Stolyarov was probably ‘dismissed as son-in-law’ for bad behavior on social media.”
“Several million (of us) have been asking for this for a whole year.”
In February, Prigozhin, who has made no secret of his distaste for Sergei Shoigu, demanded that Stolyarov, who avoided the draft, be trained for war.
Pictured: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (center) seen with his daughter (left) while holding their baby, together with her husband Stolyarov (right)
“It is necessary to catch Stolyarov and bring it to me,” said Progozhin. I will train him for six weeks. I’ll help him improve by sending him into combat operations.
Expressing his hatred for Stolyarov, he even suggested that the defense minister’s mother-in-law might be raped by his brutal Wagner forces.
Earlier this year, Progozhin staged a coup and led his Wagner soldiers to Moscow demanding Shoigu’s resignation.
Ksenia runs a museum and military park in St. Petersburg, and was seen hosting Putin and his father.
