Where do the children of Peskov, Lavrov and other famous Russian officials live and what do they do? Daughter of Sergei Lavrov: “I wanted to connect my life with a Russian Daughter of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Ekaterina

The life of Russian heirs politicians always closed from prying eyes with a thick screen. The politicians themselves, for obvious reasons, do not talk about their relatives and do not give any comments about their lives and activities. Their children are also not inclined to frank conversations with reporters. But Ekaterina Lavrova, the daughter of Minister Sergei Lavrov, does not hide from prying eyes and was able to thoroughly acquaint everyone interested in her with the details of her activities and personal life. It is about this beautiful and smart woman will be discussed in today's article.

Ekaterina Lavrova: biography

Ekaterina Sergeevna does not hide the fact that her father influenced her life. Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov is a popular, influential politician; his figure is recognizable not only in Russia, but throughout the world. According to some sources, Ekaterina was born in the United States; according to others, her family moved to America when the girl was four years old and her father was appointed USSR Plenipotentiary Representative to the UN; accordingly, they were forced to go to New York for permanent residence.

Lavrov’s daughter Ekaterina was born in 1982, and spent her entire childhood and youth in the United States. Her mother, a philologist by profession, a teacher of Russian language and literature, tried to instill in her daughter a love of art. The girl danced and received aesthetic education, visiting various exhibitions, ballet, opera, concerts and museums, including the Solomon Guggenheim collection of modern art. Therefore, parents succeeded in appreciating the beautiful and eternal.

Education

Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova studied at a Manhattan school, after which she entered Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, as Ekaterina recalls, treated him responsibly. He said that although she was an only child, she should achieve everything herself, show initiative, invest a lot of effort, get a decent education, so as not to depend on parents. And Ekaterina remembered this, so she studied well, studied political science. The girl did not boast about her origins and understood that this was not her merit, but her parents’, she wanted to be as successful as she was to be proud of her successes.

Husband

After successfully graduating from the university, Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova decided to become a master and went to practice in London. This decision turned out to be fateful for the girl, because it was in London that she met her future husband, Alexander Vinokurov, who is the son of a man included in the list of the largest magnates in the pharmaceutical industry. Now Alexander Vinokurov is a very influential person: he is a co-owner of the investment company Marathon Group, and his assets are managed through Marathon Farm. Thus, the young businessman owns 30% of the shares of the pharmaceutical enterprise Bentus Laboratory, 75% of Biocom, has a controlling stake in SIA International (a pharmaceutical company) and, together with his father, manages the pharmaceutical company Genfa.

Wedding

The young people decided to go to Russia and celebrate their marriage there, inviting not only family and friends, but also influential people to the celebration. The celebration took place in 2008 on Sparrow Hills in the Reception House of the Presidential Administration Russian Federation. The hall, which for many years had only a formal atmosphere, was changed beyond recognition by designer Balzer Gregory and turned into a real winter fairy tale.

During the festive meal, the newlyweds were shown a romantic film, the plot of which was the story of how the couple met. The surprise in the form of this video was prepared by such famous personalities as Boris Kofman (a real estate entrepreneur in London), Maria Baibakova (an art critic) and Anna Anisimova, the daughter of the famous billionaire Vasily Anisimov.

Also present at the celebration as a guest was Valery Leontyev, who is not only a singer, but also good friend Vinokurov family. Of course, he couldn’t sit still, and at the numerous requests of those present, he performed his brightest hits. With Alexander Vinokurov, Catherine’s fiancé, Valery Leontyev performed the song “Don’t Forget Me” in a duet, which caused an ocean of applause from the audience.

Lavrova's activities

Now Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova is a citizen of Russia and lives permanently in Moscow. Despite the opportunity to work and develop abroad, she gave preference to her homeland and decided to work here. Despite her famous surname, both as a girl and after marriage, Ekaterina Sergeevna did not use it, did not resort to the help of her father, father-in-law or husband. She understood that she would have to work for many years to achieve some success on her own, but she did it consciously.

For ten years, Ekaterina Lavrova worked for a large, world-famous auction company, Christies. There she was able to achieve the post of director, but still left when the opportunity presented itself to start her own business.

Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova's company Smart Art is engaged in the promotion and development of art objects and is an intermediary between collectors and artists. The woman hopes that soon the masterpieces of Russian masters will take their places of honor in world museums and the houses of large, respected collectors.

Business is not an obstacle to motherhood

Ekaterina Lavrova (Vinokurova) always dreamed of having a large and friendly family. In 2010, the family’s first child, Leonid, was born. The father was lucky to be the first to see the baby, and famous grandfathers congratulated the young parents over the phone.

Now the couple has a second child, and this is a daughter. Ekaterina says that she manages to do everything: take full care of her children and develop her business.

Family life

Alexander Vinokurov and Ekaterina Lavrova - not only happy parents, but also a great married couple. They are the same age and have a lot of common interests. Ekaterina says that she feels loved, her husband supports her in everything, tries to help. She loves his sense of taste, style, kindness. Another important advantage of Alexander, noted by Lavrova, is that he does not allow himself to relax and regularly visits the gym. Ekaterina says that she loves athletic men, and her husband is her ideal.

Ekaterina Sergeevna herself also fully matches her husband. She goes to Pilates, swimming pool, gym. Together, the couple do triathlons and love extreme nature walks, for example, hiking in the mountains.

The Foreign Minister's daughter says she would never marry a foreigner because she doesn't like their mentality. And the fact that they met Alexander by chance is fate.

Catherine is grateful to her father for instilling in her determination and self-confidence. The woman claims that all her successes are the result of his upbringing.

I don’t know if 33-year-old Ekaterina set out to charm me, but she succeeded. And right away. “Let me make you some coffee? Here are dates - I myself adore sweets, but I only allow myself to eat them until two in the afternoon.” “Yes, we have everything fashionable, conceptual,” she smiles, noticing that I am looking at the stationery on her desk: sharpeners in the shape of funny figures, an oval stapler, a pencil holder in the form of an audio cassette. Katya behaves simply, we immediately switch to “you”. I look around the bright office. The staff are mostly under 35 years old, no older, and there are paintings and installations on the walls. These are the works of young Russian artists, which Vinokurova is promoting within the framework of Smart Art (which she recently launched with her Christie’s colleague Anastasia Korneeva). She speaks vividly, emotionally - in such a way that even a person far from contemporary art becomes curious. I’m doubly curious: Vinokurova and I graduated from the same university – Columbia in New York. I studied at the master's program in journalism, and Vinokurova studied political science. The choice of faculty is probably not accidental; after all, she is the daughter of one of the coolest diplomats in the world. She lived in America for 17 years - her father Sergei Lavrov, now Minister of Foreign Affairs, at that time served as Russia's plenipotentiary representative to the UN. Katya remembers her years in New York – especially her studies at Columbia University – as one of the brightest periods in her life. Then a year of study in London, where she met her future husband. At the age of 23 she returned to Moscow. After working for a year in the press service of an oil and gas company, she moved into the art business. And since then she has been making a very dynamic career there: three years in the Moscow representative office of the London art gallery Haunch of Venison, then six years in the Russian representative office of Christie's, where she quickly rose to the position of director, simultaneously giving birth to two children and briefly going on maternity leave. and is still honorary chairman. Then - a new round: the Smart Art company. Work involves a lot of social events, but Katya, despite her sociability, leads a closed life

With a guide to life

M.C.: Art business is quite a fashionable topic now. Bright people interesting events, international party. It seems to me that many girls would dream of following in your footsteps. Where should you start?

Ekaterina Vinokurova: There are many places where you can get an internship or try to get a job. It could be a museum, foundation, gallery, contemporary art fair. If you have no experience at all, then I would advise starting with basic education.

What if with an eye on an international career?

Of course, it’s hard to get into Christie’s and Sotheby’s, because people from all over the world flock there. If you can go on an internship in some country in Europe where the art gallery system is more developed, that would be very good. There are options in Russia too. Here's the same one V-A-C fund, with whom Smart Art shares an office - by the way, only young people work here and they are constantly interviewing someone.

Why did you become interested in contemporary art?

It is very dynamic and addresses issues that are important here and now. We are young and energetic, we want to work with collectors of our generation, to help them come into contact with young artists.

How can a neophyte learn to understand this art?

The main thing is to be interested, ask, read. Go to exhibitions prepared. If possible, take a guide. In the same “Garage” the guys tell great stories - I, for example, always take it. It helps that I've been in this industry for ten years. I would, of course, like to have a more formal education. When you know the history of art from its beginning, you understand contemporary art better. A long time ago, at Columbia University, I listened to lectures on the history of art. Then, in Moscow, I attended courses at the Pushkin Museum. I attended lectures at the Phillips auction house.

I can't live without work

Why did you leave Christie's?

I wanted to try myself in something new. I certainly had a unique experience at Christie's. And now I can apply it in other directions. We have done many striking projects: an exhibition in GUM dedicated to Elizabeth Taylor, large exhibition projects in the Muravyov-Apostol House, in the Spiridonov House. In 2015, we got our own exhibition space, and during the year we held 11 client events. They brought impressionists, old masters, Russian art together with the watch brand Tourbillon, we organized a very popular event with rare Herme`s bags, projects with Christie’s International Real Estate. But I needed a new twist. In addition, a like-minded person appeared - Nastya, and together we decided to make our dream come true.

And how do you develop all this?

Smart Art is an intermediary between artists and collectors. We want to increase the recognition of artists and promote them through various programs, including educational ones. We are currently collaborating with nine artists. These are Sergey Sapozhnikov, Alexandra Paperno, Alexey Buldakov, Anastasia Potemkina, Alexander Povzner, Daria Irencheeva, Alexandra Galkina, Svetlana Shuvaeva, Arseny Zhilyaev. Some work in traditional disciplines - painting, photography and sculpture. Others create installations. And the inspiration comes from the urban environment, astronomy, history, gender relations and new technologies. By the way, I have works by Sapozhnikov and Galkina hanging at home – I’m slowly putting together a collection myself.

Is it even possible to make money from young art now?

Smart Art is dedicated to promoting the undervalued contemporary art market. The financial threshold here is much lower than for the art with which I worked at Christie’s. But it is more relevant and accessible to the audience. We explain to collectors the significance of the work, talk about pricing and help them purchase. There are about 15–20 good galleries in Moscow that sell works by young authors, but in order for there to be more of them, more collectors are needed. Our task is to contribute to the formation of the contemporary art market by popularizing young artists.

How has the American mentality influenced you and your attitude towards life and career?

The American educational system gives a lot in terms of self-confidence. Because from a very early age they instill in you that you have your own “I” and you can do anything. My first year at university I studied at Barnard College, where there were only girls. And feminist ideas are present in almost all lectures there.

And now you live in Russia, which on the surface remains a very patriarchal country. How has your feminist background adapted to this?

When I arrived in Russia, I didn’t even think that I wouldn’t work! I believe that harmony with oneself is very important, and if I didn’t have my own business, there would be no harmony. My American friends all work. Even small children are not a hindrance to this.

But still, you are an atypical heroine of our column. Many of us started from scratch, when there was no money or support at all. As I understand it, this situation is unfamiliar to you?

Yes, fortunately, I don’t know what it is.

So money is not a motivation for you? If not them, then what?

The financial factor is not the main component of my work, although it is important for me that the project be commercially successful. There is another motivation - this is a contribution to the future, to stand at the origins of something new and work with art that will become cultural heritage countries. I hope that in 10–15 years our artists will take pride of place in museum collections, in the collections of large foundations and in the homes of important collectors. This is the main motivation!

Against the background of works by artists Alexey Buldakov, Alexander Povzner and Svetlana Shuvaeva.

I need a strong shoulder

You have two children. I ask all ambitious girls this question: is it possible, in your opinion, to have it all? To be able to work and be a mother without the burden of guilt? In my opinion, it’s impossible.

But it seems to me that it is possible. But something's gotta give - something always lags behind. Finding a balance is, of course, difficult.

What is your personal balance?

On this moment For me, family and children are number one. Sport is also very important to me - I do it five to six times a week. Twice a week I pedal a bicycle, do functional exercises with a trainer twice, and Pilates twice. I recently started swimming.

What is a typical day like for an art business owner?

Well, today is a completely normal day for me. I got up at seven in the morning and fed my eldest son breakfast (he is six years old). At eight I was sent to school. Then I spent a little time with my daughter, she is three years old. At nine I took her to the garden and went to training. Shower, way to the office. As a rule, I'm home at six. I used to have more social life. And now I have a job, I have a house, I have a gym - and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I try, of course, not to miss big exhibitions in Moscow or, for example, the Venice Biennale.

What qualities do you value in a man?

Good question. Firstly, reliability. It probably sounds like a cliché, but it’s important to me to have a strong shoulder to lean on. If I have any problem and I can’t solve it, I call Sasha and the problem will be solved. I love alpha men with a strong character. Sometimes, of course, I suffer a little from this, because I fade into the background, and his decision is the law. But I’m ready to put up with it, because he is the leader in our family. My dad was also always the main one for us. It is also very important for me that a man be athletic. Sasha, for example, does a triathlon, and so I also got on a bike with him - last summer we rode in the mountains in Italy. It is important that a man takes care of himself. And so that there are ambitions - interest in life, interest in work, so that you want to grow, so that there are many plans, so that something is constantly in full swing.

About the alpha male - here many emancipated American women would wince. How does this fit with your stellar resume?

We have been together for ten years, and if Sasha had not supported me, I would not have this resume. He always gives me good advice- and at work too. And then, a very important point in any relationship is respect.

Did you consciously want to marry a Russian man?

Yes, I wanted to connect my life with a Russian. Still, our humor, our mentality cannot be translated into another language. Although Sasha himself lived abroad from the age of 12, he graduated from Cambridge, worked in England, then in an American company.

Have you had to overcome prejudice because of your dad?

I have never hidden who my father is. But I almost never talk about it. And everyone who knows me knows that very few people have helped me in my life. Of course, the main help was the education that I was given.

What was the most valuable lesson your parents, especially your dad, taught you?

Self confidence. I am an only child, and they always told me: you must count on your own strengths, you must achieve... It happens that women’s education is approached less seriously - for some reason we believe that a boy needs this, this and this, but for a girl - optional. But I was never treated like that. I also have a daughter growing up, and I would like her to have the best education - so that she can always count on her own strengths.

Ekaterina Vinokurova: dossier

Age: 33 years
Family: husband Alexander, businessman, two children
Education: Columbia University, New York, B.A.; London School of Economics, Master's degree
Favorites cities: New York, London, Barcelona
Brand: Chanel, Stella McCartney, Céline, Nike, Zara
Cosmetics: Japanese stamps
Perfume: Kilian
Decorations: Gaydamak Jewellery, Anita Ko, Nikos Koulis
Watch: Audemars Piguet

Courses at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art
Lecture hall Pushkin Museum
Institute of Contemporary Art Problems
Higher School of Artistic Practices and Museum Technologies, Faculty of Art History of the Russian State University for the Humanities
Art history courses Phillips auction house

Photo: Ilya Vartanyan Style and images of the heroine: all Chanel

Ekaterina Lavrova, the daughter of Sergei Lavrov, does not try to hide herself, her past and present from the eyes of the media.

Childhood

Some say that Catherine was born in America, others say in Moscow. There is no clear confirmation of either one or the other. But there is a logical explanation for her life in America.

Her father, Sergei Lavrov, was appointed the political representative of the USSR to the UN, and then the entire Lavrov family decided to move to America so that the child could grow up in full family. They settled in New York.

Ekaterina spent her entire childhood in America. Parents oversaw their daughter's secular upbringing and instilled a love of art through visits to museums, exhibitions and theaters. Catherine herself loved opera and ballet.

Education

Education Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova studied at the Manhattan School, after which she entered Columbia University.

Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, as Ekaterina recalls, was responsible for his daughter’s education. He said that even though she is an only child, she must achieve everything on her own, take initiative, invest a lot of effort, get a decent education so as not to depend on her parents. And Ekaterina remembered this, so she studied well, studied political science. The girl did not boast about her origins and understood that this was not her merit, but her parents’, she wanted to be as successful as she was to be proud of her successes.

It was her upbringing that made Catherine a modest, very smart and well-read girl who did not use her father’s connections, but tried to succeed herself.

Ekaterina applied for a master's degree in London, and in London it is impossible to get through connections, there the children of billionaires and the children of people living below the poverty line can sit at neighboring desks. At the same time, everyone can be sure that the level of intelligence in children is equal.

Husband

After successfully graduating from the university, Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova decided to become a master and went to practice in London.

This decision turned out to be fateful for the girl, because it was in London that she met her future husband, Alexander Vinokurov, who is the son of a man included in the list of the largest magnates in the pharmaceutical industry.

Now Alexander Vinokurov is a very influential person: he is a co-owner of the investment company Marathon Group, and his assets are managed through Marathon Farm. Thus, the young businessman owns 30% of the shares of the pharmaceutical enterprise Bentus Laboratory, 75% of Biocom, has a controlling stake in SIA International (a pharmaceutical company) and, together with his father, manages the pharmaceutical company Genfa.

Wedding

The young people decided to go to Russia and celebrate their marriage there, inviting not only family and friends, but also influential people to the celebration. The celebration took place in 2008 on Vorobyovy Gory in the Reception House of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. The hall, which for many years had only a formal atmosphere, was changed beyond recognition by designer Balzer Gregory and turned into a real winter fairy tale.

Also present at the celebration as a guest was Valery Leontyev, who is not only a singer, but also a good friend of the Vinokurov family. Of course, he couldn’t sit still, and at the numerous requests of those present, he performed his brightest hits. With Alexander Vinokurov, Catherine’s fiancé, Valery Leontyev performed the song “Don’t Forget Me” in a duet, which caused an ocean of applause from the audience.

Career

Now Ekaterina Sergeevna Lavrova is a citizen of Russia and lives permanently in Moscow. Despite the opportunity to work and develop abroad, she gave preference to her homeland and decided to work here. Despite her famous surname, both as a girl and after marriage, Ekaterina Sergeevna did not use it and did not resort to the help of her father and husband.

She understood that she would have to work for many years to achieve some success on her own, but she did it consciously. For ten years, Ekaterina Lavrova worked for a large, world-famous auction company, Christies. There she was able to achieve the post of director, but still left when the opportunity presented itself to start her own business.

“I hope that in 10-15 years our artists will take pride of place in museum collections, in the collections of large foundations and in the homes of important collectors. This is the main motivation! " - says Ekaterina.

Business is not an obstacle to motherhood Ekaterina Lavrova (Vinokurova) always dreamed of having a large and friendly family. In 2010, the family’s first child, Leonid, was born. The father was lucky to be the first to see the baby, and famous grandfathers congratulated the young parents over the phone. Now the couple has a second child, and this is a daughter. Ekaterina says that she manages to do everything: take full care of her children and develop her business.

Family life

Alexander Vinokurov and Ekaterina Lavrova are not only happy parents, but also an excellent married couple. They are the same age and have a lot of common interests. Ekaterina says that she feels loved, her husband supports her in everything, tries to help. She loves his sense of taste, style, kindness.

Another important advantage of Alexander, noted by Lavrova, is that he does not allow himself to relax and regularly visits the gym. Ekaterina says that she loves athletic men, and her husband is her ideal. Ekaterina Sergeevna herself also fully matches her husband. She goes to Pilates, swimming pool, gym. Together, the couple do triathlons and love extreme nature walks, for example, hiking in the mountains.

The Foreign Minister's daughter says she would never marry a foreigner because she doesn't like their mentality. And the fact that they met Alexander by chance is fate. Catherine is grateful to her father for instilling in her determination and self-confidence. The woman claims that all her successes are the result of his upbringing.

Speaking about relationships, a woman does not hide the fact that she feels loved and desired. She and her husband Alexander Vinokurov are the same age. They have been happily married for ten years. According to Ekaterina, the man always provides her with support and helps her cope with problems. Vinokurova likes that her chosen one takes care of himself, plays sports and generally leads an active lifestyle.

“If I have any problem and I can’t solve it, I call Sasha and the problem will be solved. I love alpha men with a strong character. Sometimes, of course, I suffer a little from this, because I fade into the background, and his decision is the law. But I’m ready to put up with it, because he is the leader in our family. My dad was also always the main one for us. It is also very important for me that a man be athletic,” Vinokurova shared.

Ekaterina tries to match her husband, so she regularly visits the gym and does exercises with a trainer, goes to Pilates, and recently purchased a membership to the pool. Together with Alexander, they do triathlons, make extreme outings in nature and love to ride in the mountains. Vinokurova really appreciates a sense of humor in her chosen one. In general, a woman always wanted to marry a Russian, because the mentality of foreigners did not suit her.

Ekaterina Vinokurova is a successful businesswoman, so she always has everything clearly planned. She prefers not to stand still and is looking for ways to implement her plans. She inherited this attitude towards life from her famous father. The woman said that from the very early years Dad gave her valuable instructions and instilled in her a love of work.

IN Lately Sergei Viktorovich has become a very popular person, about whose family I would like to know as much as possible. The wife of Sergei Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, tries to stay in the shadow of her famous husband and not advertise her personal life. She avoids journalists and rarely appears at social events, so there are few details about how Lavrov’s wife lives.

Who is she - Lavrov's wife?

She has a pedagogical education, although she never had to work as a teacher. When Maria Alexandrovna married Sergei Viktorovich, he was studying and finishing his third year at Moscow state institute international relations, she was also a university student, and after receiving higher education Maria, as the wife of a diplomat, did not have the opportunity to work in her specialty, and she devoted herself to her husband and family.

In the photo - the family of Sergei Lavrov

Maria Alexandrovna is a modest, intelligent person who prefers to appear in public as little as possible, and when necessary, she always tries to be close to her husband. She dresses stylishly, but restrainedly, which indicates the good taste of Sergei Viktorovich’s wife. Friends and relatives say that Maria Alexandrovna is a very intelligent, well-mannered person with a sense of tact, supporting her husband in everything and providing him with a reliable rear.

Biography of Maria Alexandrovna Lavrova

Little is known about the biography of Sergei Lavrov’s wife, and only starting from the moment she became his wife. When Maria Alexandrovna lived in America with her husband, she worked for some time as head of the library of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations.

In the photo - Sergei and Maria Lavrov

Although she tries to be in the shadow of her husband, Maria Lavrova takes an active position in life and at one time became the organizer of the “Women’s Club”, uniting the wives of diplomats. Thanks to this organization, women who came with their families to a foreign country could more easily get used to new living conditions. Maria Alexandrovna told the wives of diplomats how to behave and speak on foreign territory. The club quickly gained enormous popularity, and its members still remember Lavrova with great gratitude.

Experience family life The Lavrovs are over forty years old, and Maria, according to the recollections of friends, fell in love with Sergei almost at first sight. He was a tall, attractive young man who read poetry well and performed songs with a guitar.

In the photo - Sergei Lavrov in his youth

The Lavrovs got married while they were still students, and from then on Maria Alexandrovna followed her husband everywhere. Sergei Viktorovich still has not abandoned his passion for poetry - he writes poetry and sings with a guitar. In addition, the Russian Foreign Minister is fond of rafting and heads the Rowing Slalom Federation.

He is also an avid football player, and not only supports his favorite team, but also plays football himself. To his bad habits This could include smoking, which he has never given up and has no intention of doing.

Spouses' careers

Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov grew up in a family of Vneshtorg employees and after school decided to enroll in two higher education institutions at once. educational institutions- MGIMO and MEPhI. Since entrance exams were held earlier in the first of them, Lavrov became a student at the Oriental Faculty of MGIMO.

His first business trip took place in 1972, when Sergei Viktorovich was sent to work in Sri Lanka, where he and his wife lived for four years. Then they lived in Moscow for several years, and Lavrov built a career in the Foreign Ministry Soviet Union, until in the early eighties he was appointed first secretary and then adviser to the Permanent Mission of the Soviet Union to the United Nations in New York, and Sergei Lavrov’s wife Maria Lavrova went with him to the United States.

In 1988, Sergei Lavrov moved to the Department of International economic organizations Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union and rose from the position of deputy chief to the head of this department and remained in this post until the early nineties.

In 1992, he took a senior position in one of the departments of the Russian Foreign Ministry, and two years later, Sergei Viktorovich was appointed permanent representative of our country to the United Nations, having previously worked as co-chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission for Coordinating the Participation of the Russian Federation in Peacekeeping Activities.

In all his posts, Lavrov showed himself at his best the best side, and in March 2004 he was appointed to the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Sergei Viktorovich has been working in this position to this day.

Children of Maria and Sergei Lavrov

Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov’s wife gave birth to her only daughter, Ekaterina, in America, and she spent many years in the States. There, Ekaterina graduated from school, and then became a student at a university in Colombia, majoring in political science. Later, the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation also received an economic education.

In the photo - Ekaterina Vinokurova

She calls the years of her studies one of the happiest and brightest in her biography. In London, where Ekaterina went for an internship, she met her peer Alexander Vinokurov, the heir of a pharmaceutical magnate who had studied at Cambridge, whom she married in 2008.

In the photo - Sergei Lavrov with his daughter

The length of their married life is ten years, and the spouses claim that they are happy in marriage. Alexander and Ekaterina have two children - a son, Leonid, and a daughter. In her husband, Katya values responsibility, a great sense of humor and sportiness. To match her husband, she tries to exercise regularly - swims in the pool, goes to the gym, and does Pilates. In addition, the couple often go outdoors and participate in triathlons.

She admits that she always dreamed of marrying a Russian, since the mentality of foreign men does not suit her. The daughter of Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov is a successful businesswoman, and manages to take care of not only children, but also work. Ekaterina says that her parents were able to give her a good education and taught her the correct attitude towards her responsibilities; they always told her that she should rely only on herself and her own strengths.

In the photo - the daughter of Sergei Lavrov with her husband

She never used her father's surname to achieve her goals and was able to achieve everything herself. Ekaterina Vinokurova, despite the fact that she spent many years abroad, always dreamed of returning to Russia and building a career here. She worked at Christie's for a long time and was able to rise to the position of director of this auction company.

In the photo - Alexander Vinokurov

In Russia, she organized the company Smart Art, which promotes art objects, acting as an intermediary between collectors and artists. His main goal Mrs. Vinokurova believes in promoting the work of Russian artists, who, in her opinion, should take their rightful place in large museum collections and in the homes of famous collectors. Ekaterina’s husband is now the president of the Summa Group holding and a member of the board of Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port OJSC.

Sergei Lavrov, 66, Russia's foreign minister, is one of the country's most popular ministers. How is the personal life of Sergei Lavrov, what is known about his wife and daughter?

Sergei Lavrov was born on March 21, 1950. It is known that Sergei Lavrov’s father was an Armenian from Tbilisi. According to some sources, he bore the surname Kalantarov.

Sergei Lavrov’s mother worked in the Ministry foreign trade THE USSR. Sergei Lavrov's height is 185 cm, weight - 80 kg.

Sergei Viktorovich studied at the school named after V. Korolenko in the city of Noginsk, Moscow region. And he graduated from a Moscow school with a silver medal, where he studied English in depth.

In 1972, Sergei Lavrov graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Lavrov speaks three languages: French, English and Sinhala.

The personal life of Sergei Lavrov is stable and has not changed for 40 years. Sergei Lavrov married in his third year, connecting his life with the future teacher of Russian language and literature Maria.

“I noticed Seryozha right away: handsome, tall, strongly built,” recalls Maria Alexandrovna. “And when at parties he picked up a guitar and wheezed “to Vysotsky,” the girls went crazy.”

Maria Lavrova accompanied her husband on all his trips, starting with the very first - a four-year business trip to Sri Lanka. Subsequently, during Lavrov’s work as the permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, she headed the mission’s library.

Their only daughter, Katya Lavrova, was born in New York when Sergei Viktorovich worked at the Soviet permanent mission to the UN. She graduated from high school in Manhattan and Columbia University.

After graduation, the girl went for an internship in London. There, Ekaterina met the son of a pharmaceutical tycoon, a Cambridge graduate, Alexander Vinokurov.

In 2008 they got married, and in 2010 Katya gave birth to a son. Now the minister’s son-in-law holds the position of president of the Summa Group holding and is a member of the board of directors of Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port OJSC.

Sergei Viktorovich is a heavy smoker. Defending his rights, he even came into conflict with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who banned smoking at the Organization’s headquarters. Lavrov countered that the order was illegal because Annan was not the owner of the building.

The Russian Foreign Minister loves to write poetry and sing with a guitar. Sergei Lavrov is fond of rafting. He is the president of the country's Slalom Federation.

Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov loves to play football. He is a fan of the Moscow team Spartak.

And now more about my daughter

Ekaterina Vinokurova, the daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, spent her entire childhood in New York, where her father represented our country at the UN for ten years. Already a graduate of Columbia University, and having also completed her master's degree in London, Ekaterina moved to Moscow, began a career in the field of art, and today is co-director of the Russian branch of the Christies auction house.

How did your passion for contemporary art begin?
Since childhood. I was born into a family where art was always respected. My grandmother and mother often took me to exhibitions. And then, I grew up in New York, and there are a huge number of museums and exhibition activities are very developed. Contemporary art on professional level I started doing it by accident. When I moved to Moscow, mutual friends introduced me to the founder of the Haunch of Venison gallery, Harry Blaine, and he offered me a job. I honestly admitted that I know little about contemporary art and only from a few courses that I took at the university. He replied: “Nothing, this is a field of activity where you can learn everything along the way.” That's how I got involved. First, she worked for three years at Haunch of Venison, representing the gallery in Russia, and then moved to Christies.

“Learning as you go” is practically a necessity in the case of contemporary art, because Russian universities there is no such discipline.
I myself really regret that I never received a specialized education in the field of art, and if I had such an opportunity now, I would definitely take advantage of it. When I entered the university, the History of Art course was seen by many as more of a hobby than as a basis for a future professional activity. I studied to become a political scientist and completed my master's degree at the Faculty of International Relations, but for me this was an opportunity to deepen my knowledge in several humanitarian subjects. Yes, in Moscow there really are not many places where you can get the education that Western auction houses need. But if you really want to, you can go to study :) abroad and complete a year-long course on classical or contemporary art. Christies, for example, has its own educational program, in different areas: jewelry, contemporary art, management and much more.

You not only work in the field of contemporary art, but also collect it yourself.
Yes, my first job appeared in 2007. Its author is the artist Pavel Pepperstein. He wrote a letter to Yuri Luzhkov and Valentina Matvienko, who at that time were the mayors of Moscow and St. Petersburg, with a proposal to preserve these two cities as cultural centers, and move business, political and all others beyond their borders to a city called Russia. Pepperstein created several paintings based on this idea, one of which I purchased. The topic was very close to me, because at that time I had just finished studying :) and began to study art, and Pavel’s work combined both politics and art. I consider it one of the main ones in my collection, especially since Pavel eventually became a very successful artist: last year his work was even acquired by Tate. In general, Russian artists predominate in my collection: Grigory Ostretsov, Sergei Sapozhnikov, Misha Most. Recently, several works by Americans have appeared, including Daniel Lefcourt, which I submitted to the recent exhibition “Through the Eyes of a Collector” as part of Cosmoscow. And last year I purchased a photograph by Philip-Lorca di Corcia. For now, all the work is being done in the apartment. Experienced collector friends say that you become a real collector only when your walls are no longer enough and you need to look for a separate storage space, so there is something to strive for.

What are the main differences in the perception of contemporary art in Russia and in the West?
In Russia, people know much less about contemporary art, and they perceive anything alien with caution. This art is largely built not on the visual part, but on the concept. To understand it, you need not only to come and see, but also to ask something, to read something. Adults, and especially men, are afraid to show that they do not know something, they are embarrassed, and the unknown remains alien. Collecting at the global level ended in Russia back in 1917, and only in the last 20 years has this tradition been revived. We don’t yet have museums of the level of MoMA and Tate, but I really hope that after some time they will definitely appear. I have great hopes for private initiatives, because the purchase of such a large collection for the state will cost a huge amount.

Is there any fear that the “revival of traditions” will turn out to be a fashion for contemporary art that will soon simply pass?
Art is more than fashion. There are fashionable artists who are in demand today, but in five years no one will remember them. But art in general is most of our culture. These things can't just be fashionable. It is eternal, so you need to invest effort and money in it, and, of course, you need to study it.

Who is today the main target audience of contemporary art exhibitions organized in Russia?
In addition to collectors and professionals, he is interested in contemporary art a large number of people, especially young people. This is what is relevant and attracts public attention. How more people learn about the field of contemporary art, the more popular it becomes. If we talk about Christies, then at each exhibition that we organize, two or three days of work can be viewed not only by those who want and can buy them, but also by students and people simply interested in art.

How important is it for contemporary artists to have a brand name like Jeff Koons or Damien Hirst?
Certainly not every artist is given such a name. I would classify Koons and Hirst as a new type of artistic people who combine the talents of an artist, manager and businessman. Koons, before becoming an artist, worked on Wall Street, but not all artists have such a background, so the work of gallery owners is of great importance. The gallery owner must take care of the education of his artists if they are young, provide them financially, and transport them to fairs, which is quite difficult: getting to Art Basel or Frieze takes a lot of effort. And here is another difference from the West: we have practically no such system of interaction between galleries and artists. In America there are tens of thousands of galleries that are busy promoting artists, in Russia there are dozens.

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