Putin’s Whisper in Trump’s Ear: Who Is Kirill Dmitriev?

Kirill Dmitriev’s presence at recent backchannel negotiations between Russia and the United States in Riyadh was a stark reminder: this is not just another banker or bureaucrat. He represents the new face of Putin’s elite—corrupt, loyal, globally connected, and utterly cynical.

Ukrainian Origins, American Beginnings

Born in 1975 in Kyiv and a graduate of a prestigious math and science high school, Dmitriev followed a classic elite trajectory: Foothill College, Stanford (with honors), and Harvard Business School. His early career unfolded in top-tier firms—Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and private equity. But in the early 2000s, he returned to Russia—and from that moment on, his story became a textbook case of Putin-era cronyism.

Back from Ukraine, Bitter About Democracy

Between 2007 and 2010, Dmitriev worked in Ukraine, managing Icon Private Equity, a fund owned by Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk. After the Orange Revolution, he dismissed democratic reforms, describing the post-revolution power struggle as “mutual cannibalism” that “discredited democracy.” These talking points mirrored Kremlin propaganda almost word for word.

Innopraktika, Tikhonova’s Wedding, and the Road to the Kremlin

Dmitriev’s ascent was less about talent than proximity to power. He married Natalia Popova, a close friend of Katerina Tikhonova—Putin’s daughter. Popova became Tikhonova’s deputy at the “Innopraktika” foundation, and Dmitriev joined its board of trustees.

In 2013, Dmitriev and Popova attended Tikhonova’s wedding to Kirill Shamalov, the son of oligarch and longtime Putin confidant Nikolai Shamalov. Around this time, Dmitriev leaked confidential investment data about a pending deal involving Rostelecom, which later caused the company’s stock to spike.

RDIF: Sovereign Fund or Enrichment Scheme?

In 2011, Dmitriev became CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)—a sovereign wealth fund created to attract foreign investment into Russia’s economy. In practice, RDIF evolved into a shadow foreign ministry, a diplomatic fixer’s office, and a personal enrichment vehicle.

Despite promises of transparency, RDIF publishes no detailed reports, no list of investments, no performance metrics. Its website is filled with vague slogans and photo ops with Putin.

Its investments have included failed ventures like Hyperloop, short-lived partnerships with UFC, a Russian-made electric car now manufactured in China, and even Telegram. But behind these projects was something more enduring: control over budgetary flows, backdoor deals with Gulf monarchies, and state honors from authoritarian rulers.

COVID, Sputnik V, and the $22 Vaccine Deal

In 2020, Dmitriev rebranded himself as a “global ambassador” for Russia’s Sputnik V COVID vaccine, calling the project his “evangelical mission.” But investigations later revealed that in countries like Ghana, Lebanon, and Pakistan, the vaccine was sold via a shell company based in Abu Dhabi—at more than twice the price offered elsewhere. The firm belonged to a member of the UAE’s ruling family.

Backchannel Diplomacy: From Davos to the Seychelles

Following Trump’s 2016 victory, Dmitriev pushed aggressively to establish ties with the new administration. Through lobbyist and convicted pedophile George Nader, he was introduced to Erik Prince—the founder of Blackwater and a major Trump donor. The two met in the Seychelles, where Dmitriev handed over a “five-point plan” for U.S.-Russia normalization. This episode later became part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Offshore Real Estate and “Honestly Earned” Millions

During 14 years in public office, Dmitriev and his wife acquired over $80 million worth of real estate. Their holdings include properties in Monaco and Switzerland—some of Europe’s most exclusive markets. Most of these assets are held via offshore companies or registered under the name of Dmitriev’s 77-year-old father, a Ukrainian academic and biologist. This legal maneuvering allows the couple to retain full use of the properties while formally distancing themselves from ownership—despite sanctions and the absence of legitimate income to justify such wealth.

The Wife: “Scientist,” “TV Host,” “Ombudsman,” “Model”

Natalia Popova is a near-parody of Putin’s nouveau elite. Without any serious academic background (despite holding a PhD on “BRICS”), she hosts six different TV programs, runs government-sponsored “science” foundations, produces documentaries, and promotes pseudo-scientific projects. Most of these ventures are funded by the state and produced by her own company. Her brother, one of the highest-paid staffers at Innopraktika, earns over $25,000 per month.

Portrait of a Parasite

Kirill Dmitriev is no banker, no investor, no diplomat. He is a high-level bureaucrat with unchecked power, zero accountability, direct access to Putin—and assets scattered across the globe. He doesn’t just survive under Putin’s regime; he embodies it. He helps bomb his hometown, Kyiv. He pledges loyalty to “the boss.” And he does it not out of fear—but out of conviction. He is not the exception. He is the template. The new face of Putinism. Not renewal—just the same rot, repackaged in a Stanford suit.