Vladimir Putin had managed to shield his family from public scrutiny throughout his career. The Russian invasion of Ukraine changed that.
As nations now impose sanctions on those closest to the Russian president — including the British measures imposed on Friday on the woman long considered to be his mistress, Alina Kabaeva, and on his former wife, Lyudmila Ocheretnaya — new light is being shed on Mr. Putin's private life.
He has two recognized daughters from his first marriage. According to independent Russian news outlets and unverified international news reports, he may have four more children with two other women.
In Lugano, Switzerland, a petition has demanded the repatriation of Ms. Kabaeva. Locals speak confidently of the hospital where her rumored children were born and the schools they attended. But they have not seen her.
In a Monte Carlo apartment building, residents shrug at pictures of another possible girlfriend and child of Mr. Putin’s. Read more
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