Investigations
A family of national importance
How Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov started a secret family that owns assets worth almost 1 billion rubles
This text was created by the "Point Media" team and published on Explainer — our team's new website.
How Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov started a secret family that owns assets worth almost 1 billion rubles
Sergey Chemezov for many years cultivated an image almost of a liberal — someone who supports independent media and refrains from making aggressive pro-war statements. But this image should fool no one — Chemezov heads the state corporation Rostec, which produces missiles that kill peaceful Ukrainians every day (for example, “Lancets” and “Kinzhal”). And in everyday life, he is very similar to other Putin associates like Sergey Lavrov or Sergey Shoigu. He has a secret family. And they have luxurious real estate, premium cars, and state-level business.
On February 17, 2025, a message appeared on the Rostec website that the state-owned company had acquired 25% of the oncology diagnostics developer — LLC “Vansel.” Chemezov praised this firm strongly, although until then it was not very well-known in the market.
“The solutions created by the partners from 'Vansel' — this is a revolution in the field of cancer diagnostics. At present, they have been clinically tested, confirmed their effectiveness, and are systematically developing in Moscow with the support of the capital’s health department. This project is now actively discussed in relevant government bodies,” — the Rostec press service quoted Chemezov.
The medical startup OneCell was founded in 2016; the company conducts digital analysis of oncology patients’ biomaterials using artificial intelligence tools. As reported RBC, this domestic development analyzes histological micro-preparations (slides with biomaterial), which, according to its creators, allows doctors to make diagnoses several times faster. In 2021, the N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology announced that it had begun implementing the system developed by the startup in clinical practice. The project’s founder, Alexander Ninburg, stated that on several critically important parameters the system surpassed foreign competitors. RBC experts estimated that the transaction amount for acquiring a stake in the medical startup OneCell could be from 100 million rubles.
Screenshot from OneCell official website
One of the co-owners of “Vansel” through LLC “Company70” is the clinic “Gemotest,” known for a data leak of 31 million clients, including their personal details and place of residence. We will return to this leak later, but first let’s look at another co-owner of “Vansel.”
A stake in LLC “Company70” (8.6%) belongs to a certain Elena Anatolyevna Panchenko: she is a mysterious Muscovite not previously noted in big business (before “Vansel” she was only the general director of LLC “Invest Plaza,” which was engaged in publishing and was liquidated in 2014). At the same time, according to leaks from Rosreestr, Panchenko owns a 180‑square‑meter apartment in the premium residential complex “Triumph Palace.”
Triumph Palace
cian.ru
This is one of the most expensive buildings in Moscow, where a square meter costs around 1 million rubles. Among its residents are Dima Bilan, Lolita Milyavskaya, Marina Zudina, Alexey Pushkov, Maxim Fadeev, and other well-known figures. An apartment like Panchenko’s there costs almost 180 million rubles. Yet her lifetime income could never have sufficed for such a purchase, judging by leaks from the Federal Tax Service on Russian citizens’ incomes (in the 2000s she worked only at LLC “Company Novator Marketing” with a salary of 1.5 thousand rubles per month). How did Panchenko manage such success? As we discovered, she is Chemezov’s lover, the mother of his illegitimate son.
We learned about the head of Rostec having a secret family from their acquaintance. At first this seemed dubious — after all, in Chemezov’s well-known biography only two wives are listed — former Lyubov Chemezova and current Ekaterina Ignatova. When he separated from Lyubov is unknown. “Meduza,” citing sources, wrote their divorce “was actively discussed in the military‑technical cooperation sphere in the mid‑2000s,” as it caused displeasure to Vladimir Putin. Profile magazine noted that Lyubov Chemezova had been friends since living in the GDR with Putin’s then-wife Lyudmila. Chemezov himself told Vedomosti that he has been married to Ignatova since 2004.
From our source we had only the potential lover’s name — Elena Panchenko. And her phone number. And that number gave the first hint that our acquaintance’s words might be true: in the phonebooks of her contacts she is listed as Elena Chemezova.
Panchenko's number in GetContact app
In the GetContact app next to Panchenko’s number was another hashtag — “Mama Pashi.” Who is Pasha? For that consider the house on Liza Chaikina Street in Moscow, where Elena Panchenko was registered. Along with her at that address was registered the same Pasha, according to a leak of passport data. Namely — Pavel Sergeyevich Chemezov.
Pavel Chemezov
Pavel was born in 1998, according to the passport data leak. He had his own Instagram — though after the war began, the young man closed the account and deleted all photos. We managed to save the younger Chemezov’s stories. Judging by them, the head of Rostec’s illegitimate son is a fan of parties and travel. In videos and photos he published scenes from Dubai, Italy, and various warm countries.…
Also shown in several stories was Pavel’s half‑brother — Sergey Chemezov — the head’s younger son: a musician and athlete, national champion in aquabike. He is also a frequent feature on Match TV — the current Rostec head’s wife Ekaterina Ignatova is said by MO sources to be friends with the channel’s general director Tina Kandelaki.
Pavel Chemezov's Instagram Stories
To our surprise, the head of Rostec having a secret son is by no means a secret in Moscow’s high society. According to another source, Pavel Chemezov in his circle doesn’t hide that he’s the head of Rostec’s illegitimate son — and is even proud of his father.
According to a leak from Rosreestr, Pavel Chemezov owns a 200‑square‑meter apartment in the premium residential complex “Snegiri Eco” on Minskaya Street in Moscow. Moreover, he became its owner at age 22. Similar apartments there sell for almost 300 million rubles.
Snegiri Eco residential complex
Now return to the “Gemotest” leak mentioned at the start. It also contains data about Pavel Chemezov. In 2021 the young man gave COVID tests at that clinic and listed his residence as the house on Artist’s Alley in Chesnokovo village. That is the premium cottage settlement “Residences Benelux.” Realtors describe it as: “a modern, countryside, European‑style luxury cottage settlement where businessmen, cultural figures, scientists, show‑biz stars live, primarily valuing prestige, comfort and environmental quality of the area.”
Chemezov's house
Streets there are named accordingly: Unhurried Alley, Morning Sun Street, Red Poppies Street. Housing there reaches up to 1.5 billion rubles. The Chemezovs have a slightly more modest home, but they could never have bought it with their own money.
Chemezov's house
The plot was purchased back in 2009, according to a Rosreestr extract. Nearby are a tennis court, kindergarten, spring river, and even an equestrian club. We even have the opportunity to see the floor plan of the Chemezovs’ 415‑square‑meter house.
Chemezov's house plan
"Moi Mir" social network, user Elena P.
The house includes two parking spaces — presumably for mother and son — a large living room, dining area, and at the far end appears to be a fireplace. Cottages of similar size are sold in this cottage settlement for 180 million rubles.
This floor plan was published by Elena Panchenko on her “Moi Mir” social network account (owned by Mail.ru) — apparently by mistake. The woman is registered there as Elena P., but the account is tied to a phone number belonging to Elena Anatolyevna Panchenko with the same birth date as the illegitimate son’s mother. Any lingering doubts vanish when we open another photo in Elena P.’s account. In 2009 she posted a scan of Sergey Chemezov’s passport. The Rostec head himself is easy to recognize in the image.
Chemezov's Russian passport
"Moi Mir" social network, user Elena P.
If Pavel is quite an open young man, his mother is quite the opposite. Photos of Elena Panchenko have been deleted even from social networks and messengers. She is registered under different names. In open sources we could find only this photo, where the outlines of someone close to Chemezov are barely recognizable. She is a blonde with long hair.
Elena Panchenko
Nomerogram.ru
Panchenko is behind the wheel of a Range Rover, which costs at least 20 million rubles.
Elena Panchenko's car
Nomerogram.ru
Here is another of Elena’s cars that is impossible not to notice on Moscow streets: a Mercedes‑Benz S‑Class of notable blue color. Its value reaches up to 50 million rubles.
It is unknown for certain whether romantic relations between Elena Panchenko and Sergey Chemezov exist today. If not, then in typical Putin‑era fashion, the head of Rostec has gifted his former lover with real estate, cars, and business. The total value of the secret Chemezov family’s assets exceeds 700 million rubles. Plus the business asset — OneCell, which has nearly 300 million rubles on its balance sheet. Chemezov’s official family is not impoverished either — they own real estate worth 4 billion rubles, wrote “Project.”
But that's not all. As head of a state corporation, Chemezov is legally required to declare all property used or owned by his wife and minor children. Elena Panchenko — as you understand — does not fall under this definition. But Pavel Chemezov does.
Pavel Chemezov
The illegitimate son of the head of Rostec lived for many years in that same 180‑square‑meter apartment in “Triumph Palace.” Local residents told us about this. That means he was using it. By law, Chemezov was obliged to declare this residence, but he didn’t. And for this gross violation he could be stripped of his position — a sanction once supported by the Constitutional Court. By the way, after reaching the age of majority, Pavel still visits the house where Dima Bilan and Maxim Fadeev live — as evidenced by the well-known leak from the “Yandex.Eda” database.
Speaking of sanctions. There are no Western restrictions against Elena Panchenko or Pavel Chemezov — simply because the world does not know about them. Unlike the known family of the head of Rostec. All three sons of Sergey Chemezov (Alexander, Stanislav and Sergey) are under sanctions by Western countries. Even the youngest son — Sergey, who clearly holds an anti‑war position and likes opposition publications on Instagram.
Whether romantic relations between Panchenko and the head of Rostec exist today is unknown. In any case, Sergey Chemezov has not ceased supporting his secret family.
Pavel Chemezov
Sergey Chemezov is one of Russia’s most influential and wealthy people. According to official declarations he earns more than 600 million rubles a year (latest data for 2020) and owns real estate totaling over 100 thousand square meters.
In the 1980s Chemezov was sent to Dresden, where he headed the representative office of the Experimental‑Industrial Association “Luch.” There he met Putin, then a senior operative of the First Directorate, Vladimir Putin. “We lived in the same building, spoke both officially and neighborly,” — recounted the future Rostec leader.
Sergey Chemezov
Kremlin.ru
After working in the GDR, Chemezov’s and Putin’s paths temporarily diverged: one returned to Moscow, the other to Saint Petersburg. In March 2000 Putin won the presidential election, and just five months later Chemezov became a member of the president’s commission on military‑technical cooperation with foreign states. In November of that year he became deputy CEO of FGUP “Rosoboronexport,” and in 2004 headed that state enterprise. And in 2007 he became head of “Rostekhnologii,” which was later renamed Rostec.
The state corporation is the largest supplier of weapons to the Russian army. Rostec produces “Kub” and “Lancet” kamikaze drones, as well as missiles for the “Kinzhal,” “Iskander,” and “Pantsir” systems. A Rostec subsidiary (United Aircraft Corporation) manufactures Sukhoi Superjet aircraft. As early as 2014, Chemezov fell under US and EU sanctions. In 2022 Rostec itself came under US restrictions as well.
In 2019 the outlet “Project” reported that Chemezov finances independent media — Novaya Gazeta and RTVI. MO sources in these media stated that Novaya’s funding has ceased, but Chemezov “continues to actively support” RTVI. This is visible in publications on the channel’s website. RTVI often quotes Chemezov’s interviews with other outlets, although this practice usually doesn’t apply to other senior officials. However, according to political scientist Alexander Morozov, Chemezov’s interest in independent media is by no means due to liberal views.
“Chemezov’s worldview differs little from Patrushev’s. Chemezov, like Kovalchuk, always had a humanitarian interest — supporting theatre, journalism. But the head of Rostec was never the liberal wing; he simply became one of the pillars of this war, because this is Rostec and armaments. He became one of those who received colossal bonuses in this war,” — says Morozov.
Elena Panchenko and Pavel Chemezov did not respond to MO’s reporter; Rostec’s press service also did not answer questions.
