In 2015 and 2019, Russian gymnast Alina Kabaeva gave birth to two sons by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung reports, citing an acquaintance of the doctor who had assisted in childbirth.
According to the newspaper, the first child was born in Lugano, Ticino. Putin was not present during the childbirth. According to the source of SonntagsZeitung, the second son was born in Moscow by «the decision of the president.» The first childbirth took place in Switzerland, because «it was necessary to keep everything secret.»
Both times the children were delivered by a gynecologist working in the elite St. Anna clinic in the canton of Ticino. She had been born in Russia, but emigrated to Switzerland more than 30 years ago. According to the newspaper's source, she had known Putin since her teenage years in St. Petersburg and continues to maintain a relationship of trust. Especially for Kabayeva's second birth, she came to Moscow.
During both pregnancies, Kabayeva came to Lugano several times. She stayed either at the doctor's villa in the elite municipality of Collina d'Oro on the outskirts of Lugano or at the Principe Leopoldo hotel. SonntagsZeitung's sourcedescribes Kabaeva as «a very pleasant woman, a real athlete, very straightforward.» She came to the reception with her mother and sister, but without bodyguards.
In addition to the alleged sons that SonntagsZeitung wrote about, Putin has at least two daughters who were born in a legal marriage. As Proyekt found out, there is a third daughter Putin had with Svetlana Krivonogih, a shareholder of the bank «Russia» and Putin's former mistress. He met Krivonogikhbefore he became president. According to Proyekt, in 2003 she gave birth to a daughter who bears a striking resemblance to her father.