Rupert Murdoch marries Russian molecular biologist, his 5th wife
Elena Zhukova, 67, is the former mother-in-law of Russian-Israeli oligarch Roman Abramovich
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, 93, has married Elana Zhukova, a 67-year-old molecular biologist who is the former mother-in-law of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. Zhukova is Murdoch’s fifth wife.
Murdoch and Zhukova wed Saturday in a ceremony at Murdoch’s vineyard estate in Bel Air, California, his corporation, News Corp, confirmed. The couple announced their engagement in March.
Murdoch was most recently married to model and actor Jerry Hall. They were wed in 2016 and divorced in 2022. He was also briefly engaged to Ann Lesley Smith, an American former radio host, in March 2023.
Zhukova is the ex-wife of Alexander Zhukov, a billionaire energy investor and Russian politician. Their daughter, Dasha, was previously married to Russian billionaire Abramovich, who used to own the Premier League soccer club Chelsea.
Abramovich, who took Israeli citizenship in 2018, has seen his wealth halved as a result of sanctions in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His fortune, made in oil and aluminum following the breakup of the Soviet Union, at one point made him Israel’s richest man.
Last fall, Murdoch stepped down as leader of both Fox News’ parent company and his News Corp media holdings. His son, Lachlan, took his place in a media empire that spans continents and helped to shape modern American politics.
Lachlan Murdoch visited Israel earlier this year, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a trip that was reportedly intended to remain secret. Lachlan also reportedly met with National Unity party leader Benny Gantz.
Netanyahu has reportedly courted the magnate in the past, seeking to inject a more conservative voice into the Israeli media sphere. He reportedly met with the younger Murdoch in 2016 and attempting to persuade him to buy the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, a newspaper whose relationship with Netanyahu is at the heart of one of his ongoing criminal trials.
In 1952, Murdoch inherited a newspaper in his native Australia from his father. Over decades, he built a news and entertainment enterprise that became prominent in the United States and Britain, including ownership of such notable newspapers as The Times of London and The Wall Street Journal.
Fox News Channel, the 24-hour network founded in 1996, has profoundly influenced television, becoming a popular news source among many conservative US audiences and politicians. It is sometimes cited as the inspiration for Israel’s Channel 14.
