Luxury in the Alps, fury in Moscow. Russia's elite party in the West while the war in Ukraine continues

As the front in Ukraine continues to consume lives and resources, some of the Russian elite have been caught partying in some of the most exclusive resorts in Western Europe. Pictures recently surfaced on social media show influencers and celebrities close to Moscow's power circles skiing, walking the red carpet and drinking luxury champagne in Courchevel, the famous resort in the French Alps.

The Russian elite enjoy themselves in the Alps

Among the participants was Ksenia Sobciak, TV presenter and media owner, known as Vladimir Putin's girlfriend. Her father, Anatoli Sobciak, a former mayor of St. Petersburg, was instrumental in the current leader's political rise from the Kremlin in the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. She told about this trip by private plane, with luxury hotels, parties on the ski slopes and even a private concert by Patricia Kaas, who remains popular in Russia, writes franceinfo.

The event that sparked the scandal was organized by the fashion and footwear chain Rendez-Vous, which chose Courchevel to celebrate its 25th anniversary and 16 years since the opening of its boutique in the resort. The guest list included influencers with millions of followers, top models and public figures omnipresent on Russian television, including the public broadcaster Rossia 1, the Kremlin's main propaganda tool.

A demonstration of opulence, in an explosive context

The photos and videos capture a carefree holiday atmosphere: skiing on exclusive slopes, lavish dinners in luxury restaurants, après-ski parties and a “gala dinner” with a red carpet laid directly on the snow. Russian media close to nationalist circles claim that the guests were accommodated in a hotel where rates start at more than 8,000 euros per night, and meals included oysters, jamón, prosciutto and premium alcohol. Just one dinner would have cost the equivalent of almost 10,000 euros.

The fun would have been completed by private helicopter flights and consumption of top champagne, at prices that have become symbolic of the ostentation of an elite seemingly disconnected from reality in Russia.

Harsh reaction in Russia: “an affront” in the midst of war

The images sparked a wave of outrage in Russia, both among politicians and warmongers. Pro-Kremlin channels on Telegram accused the stars of moral treason and contempt for soldiers at the front.

Commentator Bojena Rînska described the event as “an ostentatious gesture of defiance”, arguing that the Courchevel firm had become a symbol of sanctions evasion and privileges reserved for a small circle. “It is a show that manages to revolt everyone at once: both those who support the war and those who reject it,” she wrote.

And other media voices close to the Kremlin have harshly criticized the display of wealth. The music producer Serghei Dvortsov declared that “while the soldiers give their lives, the stars live in luxury”, categorizing their behavior as “a parade of opulence in times of plague”.

Dissatisfaction including from within the company

Criticism was not limited to the public space. Rendez-Vous employees and customers have accused the company of cutting bonuses and spending millions on overseas promotion. “This is how a brand is destroyed – expensive and spectacular,” wrote one employee. Others suggested the money should have gone to supporting the military.

Even fashion publications poked fun at the event, describing it as “a textbook on how to succeed in making yourself hated by everyone.”

Rendez-Vous marketing director Alina Mieva defended the move, confirming that the program also included private flights to Paris and Geneva, despite Western sanctions. She claimed that the firm also organizes events in Russia, including in regions close to the conflict zone.

But the scandal exposes an increasingly visible fissure in Russian society: the discrepancy between the official discourse on sacrifice and the reality of an elite that continues to enjoy the privileges of the West, even while publicly condemning “Western values.” In this contrast is concentrated some of the tension that grinds Russia at war.