Maria Vorontsova is an influential person. One of Vladimir Putin's daughters heads the Medical Research and Educational Institute at Moscow State University, created in 2023 especially for her. At a recent conference at the Skolkovo business school, known as an incubator for regime-loyal personnel, Vorontsova spoke about the need to combat aging. The conference was devoted to how increased life expectancy affects society and the economy.
There is nothing wrong with this topic in principle. But, judging by the article in the loyalist newspaper “Vedomosti“, the discussion was conducted in a style typical of Russian state events: Although Russia is a country at war and is in an extremely unfavorable demographic situation, the participants' statements sounded as if they were talking about Switzerland. And as if there were a huge number of perfectly healthy pensioners in Russia with a cheerful spirit who have nothing to do but wonder what they could do.
Old age as a disease, immortality as a goal
The highlight of the program was Vorontsova's statement. The head of the medical center at Moscow State University told the audience that people should learn to take care of their health from childhood in order to live out their “naturally laid-out potential up to 85-90 years”. It is difficult to dispute such a formulation of the question, although the idea of some "initial potential" seems a bit strange.
But that's not all. According to Vladimir Putin's daughter, these 85-90 years are only the initial stage of life. And in the second one we should try to "outwit God or nature" by extending human life with the help of special preparations. Vorontsova expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that old age is still qualified as... something normal. Instead, it should be considered a disease, and then it would be possible to officially develop anti-aging drugs.
"True Christian" Putin wants to deceive God?
This is not about receiving budget funds - as long as Putin is in the Kremlin, Maria Vorontsova will always have them. It is about the idea that human life can be infinite. And this is not irony - this is exactly what Putin himself is convinced of.
“Thanks to the development of biotechnology, human organs will be able to be constantly replaced through transplantation, and people will feel younger and younger and even achieve immortality“, he told Chinese leader Xi Jinping in September last year. However, he suggests that in the near future life can be extended “only” to 150 years. Vorontsova, it seems, intends to coordinate (or is already coordinating) research in this area.
It seems a bit strange that in a country where the regime declares its attachment to the values of traditional religions, and the head of state has created the image of a zealous Orthodox Christian, a high-ranking civil servant speaks from a high rostrum about how to “outsmart God“.