Swiss authorities urged to extradite Vladimir Putin’s gymnast lover

The Swiss are under pressure to oust Vladimir Putin’s gymnast lover from a luxury mountain retreat where she is “hiding from the consequences” of the Ukraine war.

Opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin have demanded authorities in Switzerland expel his gymnast ‘lover’ Alina Kabaeva amid claims she is hiding with their secret children in a luxury villa.

Ms Kabaeva, 38, a former Olympic gymnast and gold medallist is widely believed to be Ms Putin's mistress and mother to secret children whom he has never officially recognised.

Amid reports that Ms Kabaeva, once named “Russia’s most flexible woman”, was sent to a private chalet in Switzerland earlier this month following the invasion of Ukraine, a petition was created calling on the Swiss to refuse to allow Ms Kabaeva to escape.

“The public has just learned that the Russian political and media figure, and former [rhythmic gymnast], Alina Kabaeva, is hiding from the consequences of the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation in YOUR country,” the strongly-worded petition said.

Olympic artistic gymnastic champion Alina Kabayeva and Vladimir Putin in 2005.

“She is the favourite wife of [the] delusional dictator and war criminal who has been treacherously attacking Ukraine over the past weeks.

“As she is supportive of social activities in Russia, she has been attempting to get Russian citizens accustomed to the reality of sanctions after 2014, and personally proclaimed: ‘The worse it gets, the better for us!’.”

So far the West hasn’t sanctioned Ms Kabaeva, who as well as being Mr Putin's rumoured secret partner is also chairman of the board of directors at National Media Group — a major Kremlin-obedient TV and newspaper behemoth — with a salary of almost $14 million a year.

The pair have been pictured together on several occasions, and investigations by the Anti-Corruption Foundation, set up by jailed Putin opponent Alexei Navalny, revealed several Russian oligarchs have inexplicably bestowed gifts of property, money and other assets upon Ms Kabaeva’s family.

Alina Kabayeva and Vladimir Putin in the background.

And while the former gymnast is seldom seen in public, she was caught on video dancing at the ‘Divine Grace’ rhythmic gymnastics tournament in Moscow in December last year, mere weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine.

“It’s time you reunite Eva Braun with her Führer,” the petition said.

“Despite the current war, Switzerland continues to host an accomplice of Putin’s regime.”

The signatories question why Swiss authorities continue to host her and her family at a time when Mr Putin “is destroying the lives of millions”.

“For the first time in modern history, your country has violated its neutrality, which it did not even do vis-a-vis Nazi Germany in the 20th century, and joined the sanctions against Putin and his surroundings,” the petition said.

Alina Kabayeva attends the Laureus World Sports Awards 2008. Picture: WireImage

“And now you are allowing his favourite mistress and her children to hide within the borders of your state.”

There is as yet no independently verified evidence to confirm Ms Kabaeva, a former pro-Putin MP, is hiding in Switzerland, where she is thought to have given birth to the Russian President’s children.

Separate reports suggest that she isn’t in Switzerland and instead at a hi-tech underground bunker in the Altai Mountains of Siberia.

Mr Putin has never confirmed how many children he has and notoriously guards details of his private life.

“I have a private life in which I do not permit interference. It must be respected. I have always reacted negatively to those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others’ lives,” he once said.

But the spotlight has again fallen on his personal life after his brutal invasion of Ukraine.

WHO ARE PUTIN’S CONFIRMED CHILDREN?

Mr Putin has two adult daughters, Maria, 36, and Katerina, 35, from his marriage to former flight attendant Lyudmila Shkrebneva.

Mr Putin and Ms Shkrebneva were married for three decades, until their divorce in 2013.

“Not all fathers are as loving with their children as he is,” Ms Shkrebneva is quoted on a Russian Government website.

“And he has always spoiled them, while I was the one who had to discipline them,” she said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Ludmilla at a G8 summit in Germany. Picture: Getty

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

There has been recent speculation Mr Putin hid the trio in an “underground city” in Siberia.

The luxury hi-tech bunker is located in the Altai Mountains and was designed to shelter occupants from nuclear war.

Ventilation points in the grounds surrounding the bunker have been seen and a powerful substation is located nearby.

ARE THERE OTHER CHILDREN?

He is alleged to have several other children, including four with his mistress Alina Kabaeva, but this has never been confirmed.

Ms Kabaeva, 38, a former Olympic gymnast, is allegedly hiding out in a secure chalet in Switzerland with her children.

She and Mr Putin reportedly have seven-year-old twin daughters, who were born near Lugano, Switzerland, in February 2015.

It is believed they also have two sons.

“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,” a source told The New York Post.

WHO IS ALINA KABAEVA?

She is one of the most decorated gymnasts in rhythmic gymnastic history, with 14 World Championship medals, two Olympic medals, and 21 European Championship medals.

She was once photographed nude, while wrapped in animal fur, for a men’s magazine.

In 2008, Russian newspaper the Moskovsky Korrespondent reported Mr Putin had divorced his wife and was set to marry Ms Kabaeva.

The story was denied and the newspaper was shut down.

Ms Kabaeva eventually become a pro-Kremlin MP for eight years, and in 2014 was appointed to run the state-owned National Media Group, with a salary thought to be worth $13.6m.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Olympic champion (rhythmic gymnastics) Alina Kabayeva. Picture: Getty Images

Ms Kabaeva at a reception at the Bocharov Ruchey state residence in 2014.

HAVE ANY OF THE ALLEGED CHILDREN BEEN IDENTIFIED?

Luiza Krivonogikh, 18, is the daughter of Svetlana Krivonogikh, 46, who has is said to have been Putin’s mistress in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Luiza has previously boasted on Instagram about the $5.8m Monte Carlo penthouse apartment she shares with her mum, a millionaire who once worked as a cleaner.

Mr Putin and Ms Krivonogikh have never commented on their alleged relationship or Luiza’s rumoured paternity after Luiza was outed by the Russian media as Mr Putin’s alleged daughter in 2019.

Vladimir Putin’s rumoured love child Luiza Krivonogikh has deleted her Instagram.