The Dossier Center, an investigative outlet, has released a detailed report shedding light on the lives of Ivan Putin and Vladimir Putin Jr., the two alleged young sons of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Alina Kabaeva, a decorated Russian gymnast who is rumored to be Putin’s longtime partner.
Long-Awaited Male Heirs
According to Putin’s official biography, he has two daughters from his first marriage with Lyudmila Putina, whom he divorced in 2013. Despite long-standing media speculation linking Putin, 71, and Kabaeva, 41, the Kremlin has consistently denied any romantic relationship between the two.
The Dossier investigation suggests that the relationship between Putin and Kabaeva may have started as early as 2008. The couple allegedly welcomed their first son, Ivan, in the spring of 2015 at the Sant’Anna maternity clinic in the Swiss city of Lugano. Their second son, Vladimir Putin Jr., was reportedly born in Moscow in the spring of 2019.
According to the report, “both times, the decision on where the birth would take place was made by the president himself.” The investigation also reveals that young Ivan Putin has mentioned to his tutors and security guards that his father was overjoyed at his birth, exclaiming, “Hurray! Finally! A boy!”
Isolated Lives
The investigation highlights that Putin’s two sons live in near-total isolation within the president’s mansion in Valdai National Park, located in Russia’s Novgorod region, northwest of Moscow. The boys are surrounded by nannies, governesses, and sports coaches who live with them in the mansion but have limited interaction with other children their age.
“They have to play mostly alone or with adults… They only see their parents late at night, and their peers — mainly during big celebrations,” the Dossier report states.
The family is said to travel annually to Putin’s residence near the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, where they spend much of their time skiing. During the summer months, they take long yacht trips, now restricted to “safe waters” within Russia, and stay at Putin’s residences in Crimea and Sochi. They also have access to an armored train, several planes, helicopters, and yachts.
Foreign Teachers
The investigation reveals that governesses and teachers for Ivan and Vladimir Jr. are hired through the online recruitment website English Nanny. The most recent job listing connected to Putin’s family was for an English teacher, offering paid accommodation, a five-day workweek, and a salary of 7,700 euros ($8,500) per month. However, the job comes with strict conditions, including a prohibition on leaving the family’s residence and a requirement to pass extensive medical exams.
Preference for the teaching position was given to candidates from South Africa, which the report indicates is considered a “friendly” country by Putin’s family. The children also receive music and German lessons from Sofija Božić, a Bosnian national who has been with the family since 2017.
The investigation notes, “teachers and coaches hardly interact with the family directly… If a teacher needs something, they communicate with the family’s assistants.”
Disney Obsession
The report highlights Ivan Putin’s obsession with Disney cartoons and movies, noting that he enjoys cosplaying as some of his favorite characters. This hobby is said to be at odds with Putin’s own preference for Soviet-made cartoons.
Both children reportedly have a large Lego collection and several iPads, which they use for games and online lessons.
Sports
The investigation also reveals that both boys have personal trainers in swimming and artistic gymnastics. Ivan Putin has already participated in several artistic gymnastics competitions, though his results have not been particularly impressive.
Ivan is also an aspiring hockey player and frequently plays in evening games with his father at the residence’s hockey rink. Alina Kabaeva is reported to attend these matches, though she watches from behind opaque glass to remain hidden from the view of servants and staff, according to Dossier’s sources.