The daughter of Vladimir Putin has felt the full force of a global backlash towards her father in the wake of the MH17 disaster, fleeing her home in the Netherlands.
Amid growing fury in the Netherlands over the attack on flight MH17, Maria Putin and her rumoured Dutch boyfriend Jorrit Faassen left their flat in Voorschoten, just 32 kilometres from the airport where the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines plane took off.
The 34-year-old's departure comes after her address was leaked by Ukrainian activists online, leading to calls for her deportation.
In a radio interview this week the mayor of the northern city of Hilversum, Pieter Broertjes, said Putin's daughter should be removed from the country.
He later apologised for the comments via Twitter, saying they were unwise, and “stemmed from a feeling of helplessness that many will recognise”.
He made the comments as victims of the downed MH17 arrived home to the Netherlands during a solemn street procession in the town of Eindhoven.
There were 193 Dutch citizens on board the Boeing 777.
Many social media users have agreed with calls for her deportation, while others have supported Maria, saying she should not be punished for the actions of her father or his government.
Some used the hashtag #mariapoetin, which applies the Dutch spelling of Putin.
Maria Putina, daughter of the terrorist Vladimir Putin, who killed Dutch adults and kids today, resides in the Netherlands, in Voorschoten. — Strongone (@Strongone13) July 22, 2014
#MH17 #poetin #mariapoetin #faassen the daughter of Poetin lives in the Netherlands... ITS TIME YOU LEAVE, BITCH! pic.twitter.com/F5sfFKRJDW — Rudolph Spieltfurgot (@Tiamat33) July 23, 2014
Putin's daughter Maria lives in Holland with Dutch husband. Their house police protected now. Wonder what they talk about at kitchen table. — Mitra Nazar (@Mitrala) July 24, 2014
According to The Mirror, photos of Maria that have surfaced in recent days will be the first many Russians will have ever seen of her, having been protected from the media for much of her life.
Little is known about Maria or her sister Yekaterina, however Maria's boyfriend Jorrit Faassen has held senior roles in connection with the Russian state gas company, Gazprom.
Dutch media outlets have reported local authorities in the towns of Voorschoten and Noordwijk no longer know the whereabouts of Maria.
