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Report: Putin’s alleged sons have ‘cover documents’ and use armored train

According to an investigative website, Russian President Vladimir Putin has two sons with his alleged lover Alina Kabaeva. The two lead a life of isolation and secrecy and rarely see their parents.

The Dossier Center, a project launched by Russian opposition leader Mikhail Khodorkovsky, said Ivan Putin and Vladimir Putin Jr. cannot be found in government databases because they “have the kind of cover documents typically created for spies and people under state protection.”

Earlier Western media reports citing anonymous sources claimed that Kabaeva and Putin have two sons (71) and two twin girls (born in 2015). It was also claimed that Kabaeva and her children currently live in Switzerland. Newsweek could not independently verify the claim.

Kabaeva, a 41-year-old former Olympic gymnast, has been linked to the Russian president for years. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied these rumors. Kabaeva has been called “Russia's first mistress” and “secret first lady.”

Newsweek has asked the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Alina Kabaeva
Russian President Vladimir Putin presents flowers to Alina Kabaeva after awarding her the Order of Friendship in the Kremlin on June 8, 2001. Earlier Western media reports citing anonymous sources claimed that Kabaeva…


SERGEI CHIRIKOV/POOL/AFP/Getty Images

The project's source, who reportedly works for Putin's family, spoke to the Dossier Center on condition of anonymity.

“When the war started, the Internet was full of news like: 'Putin has three children with Kabaeva.' No, no and no. All the media were wrong, except the Swiss newspaper. They have two sons,” said the Dossier Project source.

According to the project, Ivan was born in 2015 and Vladimir in 2019.

Putin's sons are taught by private tutors instead of attending school and are protected by officers from Russia's Federal Security Service. They also travel in armored trains, private jets and yachts and spend little time with Kabaeva or their father, according to the Dossier Center.

The Russian president's eldest son, Ivan, “mostly plays alone or with the adults who are constantly with Putin's sons.”

Putin divorced his wife Lyudmila Alexandrovna Ocheretnaya in 2013 after three decades of marriage. He has denied having a romantic relationship with Kabaeva. The former gymnast has also refused to confirm rumors that she has or had a relationship with the Russian president.

In 2008, the Russian newspaper Moskovsky correspondentwas closed just days after reports emerged that Putin was planning to divorce Lyudmila.

The British government said Kabaeva allegedly had “a close personal relationship” with Putin and had previously served as a Duma deputy for Putin's United Russia party.

In response to newspaper reports in 2008, Putin said: “I have always disliked people who intrude into other people's private affairs with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies.”

Kabaeva has won two Olympic medals and also received 14 medals at World Championships and 21 medals at European Championships.

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