98-Year-Old Art Critic Passes Away... Putin, with No Ties, May Inherit 2 Trillion Won Estate

If All Artworks Are Authentic, They Could Be Worth 2 Trillion Won
Various Hypotheses Raised Regarding the Artworks

A Russian art critic who left a will bequeathing his art collection to Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has passed away. If all the artworks are confirmed to be authentic following the critic's death, Putin will receive an enormous art collection valued at over 2 trillion won. On the 14th (local time), foreign media including the Moscow Times reported that Nina Moleva, a writer and art critic, died at the age of 98 on the 11th.

Nina Moleva, who authored more than 120 books studying Russian painters such as Ivan Nikitin and the history of art in Russia and worldwide, married artist and art theorist Eli Belyutin in 1955. After Belyutin's death in 2012, Moleva inherited his collection of approximately 200 paintings, estimated to be worth around 2 billion dollars. Subsequently, in April 2013, Moleva drafted a will donating these works to President Putin, whom she described as 'Russia's representative.'

Art collection owned by Russian art critic Nina Moleva.
[Photo by Nexter]

Originally, the Moleva couple intended to donate these artworks to Russia in the 1990s. However, due to laws prohibiting the inheritance of estates by the state rather than individuals or institutions, their wish was not fulfilled. The couple was also known to own paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Diego Vel?zquez, but the local media Moskovskiy Komsomolets (MK) pointed out controversies surrounding the authenticity of the collection.

Regarding the donation of the artworks, Victoria Markova, curator at the Pushkin Museum, stated, "The collection hardly includes works by famous artists," adding, "It does not meet the standards of our museum." Following Nina Moleva's death, the Russian Ministry of Culture is expected to form an expert committee to assess the value of the collection.

The Moscow Times reported, "There are various hypotheses about the collection," noting, "One possibility is that Belyutin, a renowned artist, collected and handled artworks for Soviet leaders. Another theory suggests that Belyutin, rumored to have worked as a Soviet military intelligence officer, may have smuggled artworks from occupied Europe."

Income of 1 Billion Won over 6 Years from a 23-Pyeong Apartment... Putin Discloses Assets

Russian President Vladimir Putin.
[Photo by EPA·Yonhap News]

Vladimir Putin, who is running for president in the upcoming March election, recently reported owning a 23-pyeong (77㎡) apartment and an income of approximately 1 billion won over the past six years, according to Interfax news agency. Putin declared to the Central Election Commission (CEC) that he owns a small apartment of 23 pyeong (77㎡) and a garage (18㎡) in Saint Petersburg as part of his income and assets as a presidential candidate. Notably, he reported an income of about 67.59 million rubles (approximately 1 billion won) from 2017 to 2022. Additionally, the Russian CEC revealed that he has unlimited rights to use an apartment (153.7㎡) and a parking space (18㎡) in Moscow. The asset declaration included salary, bank deposits and securities income, pension, and real estate.

The list of vehicles owned also attracted attention. President Putin reported owning three vehicles: two GAZ M21s produced in 1960 and 1965, and one 2009 Lada Niva. He also owns a 1987 Skip trailer. Putin was found to hold shares in a Saint Petersburg bank worth about 64,400 rubles (approximately 950,000 won). The number of bank accounts registered under Putin's name decreased from 13 to 10 over the past six years. These 10 bank accounts reportedly hold about 54.42 million rubles (approximately 810 million won). This information was disclosed after Putin officially registered as a presidential candidate on the 29th of last month.

Some speculate that his actual wealth is astronomical. Around the time of the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022 and the subsequent sanctions imposed by the US and Western countries on Russia, Putin's assets were estimated to be at least 200 billion dollars (approximately 266 trillion won). It is known that Putin typically owns luxury mansions, villas, and yachts under the names of family members or close associates.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.