"Prepare for
old age in advance," said State Duma deputy Irina Rodnina. And drove off in a
Mercedes.
The
76-year-old Olympic champion and now a high-ranking politician recently sparked
backlash in Russia. She stated that pensions are not salaries and it's naive to
rely solely on them — people should prepare for retirement on their own.
That's when
journalists started doing the math: how exactly did
Rodnina prepare for her own retirement?
According to
public records, she owns two elite apartments in
Moscow.
One is in the prestigious Khamovniki district, near the Christ the Savior
Cathedral. At 700,000 rubles per square meter,
her 80-square-meter apartment could be worth around 56
million rubles (≈ $600,000).
The second is located in a building owned by the Presidential
Administration. Estimated value — another 36
million rubles (≈ $380,000).
Total: nearly 100 million rubles ($1 million) in
property.
Now let's
talk income.
Rodnina's official pension as a deputy exceeds 70,000
rubles ($750) per month. Her salary, with bonuses and leadership duties,
is up to 700,000 rubles ($7,500) monthly.
Plus annual bonuses — up to 2.5 million rubles
($26,000).
Add free travel, housing compensation, and a government car.
In stark
contrast, the average pension in Russia is around
25,000 rubles ($270). Not quite the same "level of preparation".
She's also
often seen driving an Audi TT or a Mercedes GLC 300 — hardly budget options for a
retiree.
But perhaps
most striking is the story of her daughter.
Alyona Minkovski lives in the United States, works in journalism, and was named
one of Forbes' "30 Under 30" media figures in
2011. She later received a U.S. media award for a program focused on minority
rights and maintains a strong liberal stance — far from Russian government
narratives.
Rodnina
herself was involved in controversy back in 2013 after posting a provocative
collage featuring Barack Obama. She later deleted the post, but it was widely
criticized abroad.
Now, with
all this context, her message to Russian citizens — "prepare for retirement on
your own" — is being questioned. Is it wisdom from experience or a tone-deaf
message from someone living in a parallel reality?
❓What do you
think? Sound advice or a classic case of hypocrisy?
