Switzerland could be sheltering Vladimir Putin's secret girlfriend, it has been claimed. Alina Kabaeva, an Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast, is believed to have travelled to a "private and secure" chalet with her children.
Kabaeva is one of the most decorated, though now retired, athletes in rhythmic gymnastic history. She has two Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 21 European Championship medals. She is widely believed to be the mother of Vladimir Putin's two sons and a daughter, or possibly two daughters, as Putin keeps them protected, Yorkshire Live writes.
Born in 1983, Kabaeva started her rhythmic gymnastics career at just three years old. At 15, she won the European Championships in Portugal. At the time, she was the youngest member of the Russian squad.
She announced her retirement from the sport in 2004, however returned for a few years before properly retiring in 2007. From 2007 to 2014, Kabaeva was a State Duma Deputy from United Russia. In September 2014, she became the chairwoman of the board of directors of the National Media Group.
A source in Lugano, Switzerland, close to the Italian border, said: “Before the coronavirus pandemic there was often gossip about Putin’s mistress being in town. They are known to have strong connections here, but anyone who knows them has been sworn to secrecy.
“While Russia falls apart because of the sanctions, this is the perfect place for Putin to send Alina and their kids.”
Claims of Putin’s links to Lugano first surfaced seven years ago.
A local TV station reported in February 2015 that Kabaeva had given birth at a private VIP maternity clinic in Sorengo, on the periphery of the city. They were said to have reserved two rooms at Clinic Sant’Anna - a favourite of wealthy Russians - with one suite for the birth and the second for family and bodyguards.
According to insiders, President Putin was present. However, the Kremlin dismissed the rumours and Kabaeva has never confirmed whether they have one daughter or twin girls. Kabaeva is said to have been seen, on occasions, in Lugano's Piazza Della Riforma.
A source told Page Six : “While Putin carries out his assault on the Ukraine, attacking innocent citizens and causing a refugee crisis, his family is holed up in a very private and very secure chalet somewhere in Switzerland – for now, at least.
“Alina has two young boys and twin girls with Putin who were born in Switzerland. The kids all have Swiss passports, and I imagine she does also.”
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