Putin's rumored girlfriend seen in public for first time since Ukraine invasion began

April 23, 2022

Putin's rumored girlfriend seen in public for first time since Ukraine invasion began

Alina Kabaeva vladimir putin girlfriend — Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) smiles next to Russian gymnast Alina Kabaeva during a meeting with the Russian Olympic team at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on November 4, 2004.
REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE

Putin's rumored girlfriend Alina Kabaeva was seen in public for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast, was pictured at an event at Moscow's VTB Arena.
The gymnast was reported to have taken refuge in Switzerland amid the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's rumored girlfriend has appeared in public for the first time since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Alina Kabaeva, 38, a former Olympic gymnast, was pictured at an event at Moscow's VTB Arena on Thursday in photos posted on Instagram by Ekaterina Sirotina, the head coach of Russia's junior national rhythmic gymnastics team.

"First rehearsal day of the #Festival of Alina Kabaeva," Sirotina captioned the images.

Kabaeva is widely believed to be Putin's long-term partner and has mothered several children with the Russian leader, including twins.

Putin, 69, is famously private about his relationships and children and has never confirmed his rumored relationship with Kabaeva.

Russian world champion Alina Kabaeva performs with the ball during the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Madrid October 20, 2001.
Reuters

The gymnast had reportedly taken refuge in a luxury chalet in Switzerland with her children as Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, per Page Six.

Kabaeva rarely made public appearances and was last seen in public also at the VTB Arena in December 2021, Newsweek said.

The new photos of Kabaeva prompted speculation that the gymnast might have recently altered her appearance with plastic surgery.

Russian Cosmopolitan said, "something has really changed in Kabaeva's face," according to Newsweek.

Kabaeva was first romantically linked to the Russian leader in 2008 in a report by the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Korrespondent.

The paper was shut down days after reporting that Putin planned to divorce his then-wife Lyudmila Putina for the gymnast.

Once dubbed "Russia's most flexible woman," Kabaeva has won two Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 21 European Championship medals.

Kabaeva became a pro-Kremlin member of Russia's parliament for several years. In 2014, she was appointed to the state-owned National Media Group board, with a reported salary of $10.5 million a year, according to Page Six.

Georgy Alburov, who works for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has called for Kabaeva to be sanctioned amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"She is the beneficiary of Putin's corruption - her relatives get apartments and houses bought with money stolen from Russians," he wrote on Twitter.

"She is a member of Putin's inner circle, a member of his family who takes advantage of his position."

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