World
India
A rare image of a child alleged to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s secret son has surfaced, marking the first time the boy has been seen publicly. The photo, shared by the anti-Kremlin Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, is said to show 10-year-old Ivan Vladimirovich Putin — the son of Putin and his long-rumored partner, former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva.
“VChK-OGPU has obtained a photo of the most secret and probably the loneliest boy in Russia,” the channel reported, claiming connections to Russian law enforcement and intelligence sources.
The outlet adds that Ivan, who reportedly bears a striking resemblance to a young Vladimir Putin during his Soviet-era childhood, leads an isolated life. “He hardly communicates with other children, spending all his time with guards, governesses, [and] teachers,” the report states.
A Glimpse into a Shadowed Family Life of Ivan Vladimirovich Putin
Ivan is said to have a younger brother, Vladimir Jr., now four years old, although he has not been pictured. The existence of these children has long been speculated upon, but neither Putin nor Kabaeva has ever publicly acknowledged them.
Five months ago, however, Putin made a rare, indirect reference to a younger family during a nationally televised Q&A session. “Our historic fairy tales and epic tales are being revived. I myself sometimes watch these with pleasure with my little ones,” he said, with a subtle smile. State-run broadcaster RT translated the comment as referring to “my junior family members.”
Decades of Secrecy Around Kabaeva and the Children Including Ivan Vladimirovich Putin
Putin and the Kremlin have consistently denied any romantic link between the president and the 41-year-old Kabaeva, despite widespread speculation. Independent Russian journalists have, over the years, asserted that the couple share two sons. Until now, neither child had been seen in public.
The Dossier Centre, an investigative journalism outlet, confirmed last September that Kabaeva has two sons with Putin. According to their findings, the children are under constant protection by the Federal Protective Service (FSO), live in luxury within Putin’s palatial compounds, and are homeschooled — much like the children of the last Russian Tsar.
“The brothers have little contact with their peers and see little of their parents, but they appreciate the rare moments they manage to spend with their father,” the Dossier Centre reported. They further noted that the children have been educated by governesses from the UK and New Zealand in the past, though in recent years, South African citizens have been recruited to teach them English due to the geopolitical fallout of Putin’s war in Ukraine.
The Dossier Centre claims it has obtained photos of the boys but chose not to publish them for “ethical reasons,” maintaining that the luxurious and hidden lives of these children remain a matter of public interest.
A Pattern of Concealed Relationships
Putin is known to have two adult daughters from his previous marriage: Maria Vorontsova, 39, and Katerina Tikhonova, 38 — the latter known for her role as a high-energy acrobatic rock-and-roll dancer. Both daughters reportedly have children, making Putin a grandfather.
He is also believed to have another daughter, Ekaterina Krivonogikh, also known as Luiza Rozova. She was born to his former lover Svetlana Krivonogikh, a woman who reportedly rose from being a cleaner to becoming a multimillionaire worth £75 million. Krivonogikh now holds shares in a major Russian bank and owns a prominent strip club in St. Petersburg. Luiza has reportedly spent time living in Paris during Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Despite persistent rumors and mounting evidence over the years, Putin remains intensely private and defensive about his personal life. “I have a private life in which I do not permit interference. It must be respected,” he once said in an interview. He sharply criticized those probing into his personal affairs as “those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others’ lives.”
