“Israel saved my life”: former Putin confidant Gennady Khazanov settled in Tel Aviv

Gennady Khazanov confirmed that he and his wife have settled in Tel Aviv. The artist, who previously publicly supported Putin and the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea, now calls Israel his home and admits that Israeli doctors literally brought him back from the brink.

Russian actor and entertainer Gennady Khazanov reported that he and his wife Zlata Elbaum have settled in Tel Aviv.

The 80-year-old artist shared this in the Israeli podcast “From the River to the Sea,” hosted by Ilya Axelrod and Yan Levinzon. The interview was published after Khazanov’s tour in Israel: his anniversary concert took place in Tel Aviv on June 2, 2026, and a performance in Kiryat Haim on June 3.

During the conversation, the artist emphasized that he had regularly visited Israel before, but now it’s no longer about temporary visits.

“I have always visited this country quite regularly. Even before we settled in Tel Aviv,” Khazanov said.

Thus, the artist publicly confirmed for the first time that he has moved the center of his life to Israel. However, his story is noticeably more complex than the loud headlines about a “sudden escape from Russia”: Khazanov received Israeli citizenship back in December 1991.

“I was brought back from the brink”

One of the most personal episodes of the interview was Khazanov’s story about a serious illness he faced around 2020.

According to him, the condition was so serious that it was literally a matter of days. The artist was taken to the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem, where Israeli doctors managed to save him.

“To be completely honest, Israel saved my life. This was almost six years ago. It was already a matter of, I think, days. I was brought to Hadassah, to the hospital, and brought back from the brink,” Khazanov said.

The artist did not specify a detailed diagnosis. Some Russian media associate the incident with serious heart problems, but Khazanov himself did not disclose medical details in the interview.

According to him, this story became one of the reasons for his particularly deep connection to Israel. For the artist, the country turned out to be not only a place where he has held citizenship for more than three decades but also a place where he was essentially given additional years of life.

Israeli passport since 1991

Khazanov’s history with Israel began long before Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and even before Putin came to power.

On December 25, 1991, just a few days before the official dissolution of the USSR, the artist received Israeli citizenship. By January 6, 1992, this was reported by “Kommersant”.

At that time, Khazanov retained his Russian citizenship. Soviet and Russian media spread rumors about his emigration, but the artist himself claimed that he did not intend to permanently leave Moscow.

In December 2024, Khazanov also publicly stated that after receiving citizenship, he was issued an Israeli foreign passport — a darcon.

Therefore, calling him a new repatriate is not entirely accurate. Khazanov has been an Israeli citizen since 1991, regularly visited the country, performed for the Israeli audience, and apparently had long-standing personal connections here.

The new circumstance was the artist’s acknowledgment that he and his wife have settled in Tel Aviv, rather than just visiting Israel for vacation, treatment, or tours.

From Putin’s trusted person to a resident of Tel Aviv

Special attention to Khazanov’s move is related to his long-standing closeness to the Russian authorities.

In February 2012, the artist was officially registered as a trusted person of the Russian presidential candidate Vladimir Putin. In that election, Putin was returning to the Kremlin after four years of Dmitry Medvedev’s formal presidency.

Khazanov did not limit himself to formal participation in the election campaign. He openly spoke about his long-standing friendship with Putin, called him the most suitable candidate, and publicly defended him.

At that time, the artist claimed to have known Putin for almost two decades and had no doubts about accepting the offer to become his trusted person.

Khazanov’s ties with the Russian president also had symbolic expressions. In 2004, at Putin’s 50th birthday celebration, the artist presented him with a replica of the imperial crown of the Russian Empire. This episode was repeatedly recalled as an example of the special relationship part of the Russian cultural elite had with the future dictator.

An even more significant episode occurred in March 2014.

After the start of the Russian occupation of Crimea, Khazanov signed a collective appeal by Russian cultural figures in support of Putin’s position on Ukraine and Crimea. The letter was published by the Russian Ministry of Culture and became part of the Kremlin’s campaign to create the appearance of public support for the seizure of Ukrainian territory.

Thus, the artist was not only close to the Russian authorities but also publicly supported one of the key stages of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

What Khazanov said after February 24, 2022

After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Khazanov published an emotional video message.

He spoke about human suffering, death, and destruction, calling for an end to the war. However, the artist did not name Russia as the aggressor, did not demand the withdrawal of Russian troops, and did not directly hold Putin responsible.

Therefore, statements by some media that Khazanov allegedly completely “renounced Russia” seem exaggerated.

The artist did not publicly announce a political break with Putin. He also did not withdraw his signature from the 2014 appeal supporting the Kremlin’s policy regarding Ukraine and Crimea.

Until recently, Khazanov denied reports of a final emigration.

In February 2024, responding to a relevant question from Russian journalists, the artist claimed that he only leaves during vacations and then returns, as he continues to work in Russia.

Now his own wording has changed: Khazanov no longer speaks of trips but says that he and his wife have settled in Tel Aviv.

Sold real estate worth hundreds of millions of rubles

The alleged move of Khazanov began to be discussed back in the fall of 2025, when Russian media reported the sale of almost all of his real estate in Moscow and the Moscow region.

The initial source of information was the Russian Telegram channel Shot. According to their data, the artist sold four apartments and a three-story country house for approximately 706 million rubles.

Among the properties mentioned were:

• an apartment of 246 square meters on Malaya Molchanovka worth about 237 million rubles;
• an apartment of 255 square meters on Spiridonovka, estimated at approximately 232 million rubles;
• other apartments in central Moscow;
• a three-story house in the Moscow region.

It was reported that Khazanov might have only a small apartment of about 39 square meters on Lusinovskaya Street left in his possession. Its value was estimated at approximately 21 million rubles.

The artist himself did not officially disclose the details of the transactions. Therefore, the amount of 706 million rubles and the list of sold properties should be considered data from Russian media, primarily based on Shot’s publications, rather than confirmed by Khazanov’s own financial declaration.

Connection with the Russian state theater remains

Despite living in Tel Aviv, Khazanov has not yet announced a complete cessation of professional activities in Russia.

Since 1997, he has held the position of artistic director of the Moscow Estrada Theater. This is a state-funded cultural institution in Moscow.

After a long renovation, the theater reopened in 2023. Khazanov continued to publicly participate in its work and appear at events related to the Russian cultural system.

Therefore, his current position appears contradictory.

On one hand, the artist sold most of his Russian real estate, settled in Tel Aviv, and openly speaks about his special connection to Israel.

On the other hand, he has not announced his departure from the Moscow Estrada Theater, has not declared a break with Russian state structures, and has not given an unequivocal assessment of Putin’s responsibility for the war against Ukraine.

NAnews — News from Israel | Nikk.Agency notes: it is more about moving personal life to Israel rather than a public political break with the Putin system.

Not a “new homeland,” but a long-prepared move

Formulations that Khazanov allegedly suddenly chose a “new homeland” simplify the real picture.

He received Israeli citizenship back in 1991, repeatedly visited the country, performed here, and received treatment. His wife Zlata Elbaum also holds Israeli citizenship.

Therefore, the move to Tel Aviv cannot be considered a spontaneous decision made under the influence of recent events. Rather, it is the result of a long-standing connection of the family with Israel.

However, the political aspect of this story remains important.

A person who was Putin’s trusted person, spoke of personal friendship with him, and supported the Kremlin’s actions during the occupation of Crimea now prefers to live not in Putin’s Russia but in Israel.

Israeli doctors saved Khazanov’s life. Israeli citizenship provided him with the opportunity to choose a place of residence. And the sale of Moscow real estate showed that it might not be about an extended vacation but a deep change in life priorities.

The artist himself has not yet spoken words about a final break with Russia and has not explained how he currently evaluates his long-standing support for Putin.

But his phrase “we have settled in Tel Aviv” says significantly more than previous cautious statements about tours, treatment, and temporary trips.

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Announcement: Gennady Khazanov, formerly Putin’s trusted person and supporter of the Russian annexation of Crimea, settled with his wife in Tel Aviv. The artist admitted that about six years ago, doctors at the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem literally brought him back from the brink.