![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/austrian-ex-minister-karin-kneissl-moves-to-russia-with-her-ponies/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/131075694_kneisslputin.jpg&description=Image source, Reuters Image caption, Karin Kneissl was pictured dancing with Vladimir Putin at her wedding in 2018 Austria's pro-Russian former foreign minister Karin Kneissl is moving to St Petersburg, along with her two ponies. Karin Kneissl had been living in Lebanon. She left government amidst a scandal that engulfed the far-right Austrian party that appointed her. The ponies were flown to St Petersburg on a Russian military transport plane from Syria, she said. Ms Kneissl said she had decided to move to Russia to run a think tank at St Petersburg University. "I co-founded the Gorki centre and manage it," Russia's state-owned Tass news agency quoted Ms Kneissl as saying. "Since there is a lot of work there and it requires a lot of attention, I cannot do this in passing. I decided to move to St Petersburg for this work." Asked by the BBC about her move to Russia's second city, she declined to comment. But she said on social media that living in Lebanon had been a temporary solution "to survive" and while she was commuting to Russia to teach. Ms Kneissl is a noted animal lover. She said on social media that, because of sanctions against Syria and the security situation there, using a military transport plane was her only option to bring her ponies and other belongings to Russia. Image source, Leningrad Region Veterinary Department Image caption, Vets from the Leningrad region checked the two ponies and said they were healthy The Leningrad region's veterinary department said the ponies had been examined and placed in quarantine. Karin Kneissl was Austria's foreign minister from 2017 to 2019. She was an independent, chosen for the job by Austria's far-right Freedom Party which is known for its close contacts with Russia. She made headlines in 2018, when she invited Vladimir Putin to her wedding in southern Austria. Pictures were released showing her dancing with the Russian president. Ms Kneissl made the announcement of her move to Russia in Vladivostok, where she w){kind=link}
Austria’s pro-Russian former foreign minister Karin Kneissl is moving to St Petersburg, along with her two ponies.
Karin Kneissl had been living in Lebanon. She left government amidst a scandal that engulfed the far-right Austrian party that appointed her.
The ponies were flown to St Petersburg on a Russian military transport plane from Syria, she said.
Ms Kneissl said she had decided to move to Russia to run a think tank at St Petersburg University.
“I co-founded the Gorki centre and manage it,” Russia’s state-owned Tass news agency quoted Ms Kneissl as saying. “Since there is a lot of work there and it requires a lot of attention, I cannot do this in passing. I decided to move to St Petersburg for this work.”