Elena Zhukova Biography: Religion, Height, Ethnicity, Parents, Net Worth, Age, Awards, Husband
Elena Zhukova is a retired Russian-American molecular biologist specializing in diabetes research, now best known as the fifth wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
A former member of Moscow’s intellectual elite, she built an academic career in the United States after emigrating from the Soviet Union, later finding a high-profile partnership with one of the world’s most influential media figures.
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Quick Facts
- Full name: Elena Zhukova
- Date of birth: 1957
- Age: 69 years old
- Place of birth: Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia)
- Nationality: Russian-American
- Ethnicity: Jewish (Russian)
- Occupation: Retired Molecular Biologist (diabetes researcher), Academic
- Height: Unknown
- Religion: Judaism
- Parents: Lev Izrailevich Rudnitsky, Maria Rudnitsky (mother)
- Siblings: Unknown
- Spouse: Rupert Murdoch (married June 1, 2024)
- Children: Dasha Zhukova
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $1 million
Early Life and Education
Elena Zhukova was born in 1957 in Moscow to a Jewish family from the city’s intelligentsia.
Her father, Lev Izrailevich Rudnitsky, was a writer and served as director of the Moscow International Film Festival.
She grew up in a culturally rich environment on Alexey Tolstoy Street and described her upbringing as part of the “usual, normal Moscow intelligentsia.”
She studied molecular biology in the Soviet Union and married Russian oil billionaire and politician Alexander Zhukov in the early 1980s, with the marriage lasting about three years.
In 1991, as the Soviet Union was collapsing, she emigrated to the United States with her young daughter Dasha.
Personal Life
Elena Zhukova, 69 years old, married media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, then 93, on June 1, 2024, at his Moraga vineyard estate in Bel Air, California.
The couple reportedly met through Murdoch‘s third wife, Wendi Deng, who is friends with Elena‘s daughter Dasha Zhukova.
They began dating in 2023 after Murdoch‘s engagement to Ann Lesley Smith ended.
Zhukova was previously married to Russian billionaire Alexander Zhukov in the early 1980s, with whom she shares daughter Dasha Zhukova, a well-known art collector, philanthropist, and former wife of oligarch Roman Abramovich. She has no other publicly known children.
The family maintains ties to both Russian-Jewish intellectual roots and elite international circles.
Elena and Rupert live primarily in California, and she is described as warm, intelligent, and supportive.
No past relationships beyond her two marriages are publicly detailed.
Career
Elena Zhukova built a respected academic career as a molecular biologist focused on diabetes and related medical fields.
After emigrating in 1991, she worked in research roles in Houston and then at UCLA, where she specialized in gastroenterology and diabetes studies.
She retired around age 51 due to health reasons but remained connected to scientific and intellectual circles.
Since marrying Rupert Murdoch in 2024, she has maintained a low public profile, with no new professional projects announced.
Net Worth
Elena Zhukova‘s personal net worth is around $1 million.
It is substantial due to her academic career, prior marriage to a billionaire, family connections, and her union with Rupert Murdoch, whose net worth exceeds $19 billion.
Estimates for her independent wealth are not confirmed but reflect a comfortable, privileged lifestyle.
Social Media
Elena Zhukova maintains an extremely low public social media presence, consistent with her preference for privacy.
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