From Riches to Rags: Ex-Austrian Foreign Minister Who Danced with Putin Takes Up Residence in Russian Village
The former Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karin Kneissl, who famously danced with President Vladimir Putin at her wedding, has now settled in the village of Petrushovo in the Ryazan Oblast of the Russian Federation.
This remarkable career turn has been reported by The Daily Beast.
On August 5th, Kneissl appeared in the village of Petrushovo at the "Midsummer Crown" celebration, an annual gathering of locals from surrounding villages and summer residents. The former Austrian minister had rented a house in the village for the summer.
"In September 2020, due to constant threats to my life and essentially being banned from working in Austria, I was forced to leave my homeland. After extensive searches, I found a small farm in France to start a new life with my animals. However, media agitation from Austria caught up with me there, and I was once again compelled to move," Kneissl stated on her personal website.
"If you've read my biography, you're aware that three years ago, I was forced to leave Austria. They prevented me from working in France, even denied me the opening of a bank account. I was scared. I had to flee Europe, and nowhere would take me in."
After departing Europe, the ex-minister found herself in Lebanon, where she claims her proficiency in Arabic led her.
While in exile, in February 2021, the Russian government appointed Karin Kneissl as a candidate for the board of directors of "Rosneft," a position she was elected to in June. "To stay in Russia, I needed assistance. I had a few contacts who helped me find accommodation, and they said there was a house available for summer rental in Russia."
However, her tenure at "Rosneft" was short-lived. In March 2022, amidst the commencement of a special military operation, she informed the company that she would not seek re-election for a second term, and in May, she resigned.
In the same year, Karin Kneissl began to appear as an author in the Russian newspaper "Vedomosti," where she is presented as a doctor of law. In one of the articles published in October 2022, she contemplates the impossibility of reviving German production without accessible Russian raw materials. In her other comments and interviews, she criticizes European politics. In 2023, Karin Kneissl participated in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the "Russia-Africa" forum. Vladimir Putin attended both events.
Kneissl asserts, however, that she last saw the Russian leader in 2019. Apparently, after the wedding dance faux pas that tarnished her career, she simply ceased to be of interest to Mr. Putin.
At the event in Petrushovo, Karin Kneissl addressed the local residents in Russian, noting that she is not yet well-acquainted with the language.
"I can speak Arabic, French, but my Russian is still weak. I'm currently residing in Petrushovo, and I'm enjoying it here. I like how the children play. The atmosphere here is fantastic. When I look at the chickens on the street, the ducks, the goats – it's my world, as I lived in a small village in Austria," she said, speaking at the local celebration and expressing her willingness to give a lecture at the village club.
Kneissl mentioned that she had to "leave her old life" and start anew, although she admitted that "at 60, it's tough." While she currently enjoys her time in Petrushovo, she has only booked the house for a month, as she is uncertain about her future.
However, it is reported that she has been invited to teach jurisprudence, as well as oil and gas markets, at St Petersburg University at the Geopolitical Observatory for Russia’s Key Issues, established in March 2023.