Discussion of Vladimir Putin’s family and children has long been considered an absolute taboo in Russia. The Russian president has never publicly spoken about his two daughters from his first marriage to Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Putina, from whom he divorced in 2014 — Maria Vorontsova, now 41, and her younger sister, Katerina Tikhonova, 39.
Putin has never publicly mentioned their names, appeared with them in official photographs, and during press conferences referred to them only as “those women” or “my daughters.” They grew up, attended university and built careers under assumed surnames and secret identities intended to conceal their ties to the Kremlin. Over time, however, more details have emerged about Putin’s highly secretive family life.
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Alina Kabaeva and Vladimir Putin in a rare photograph together, taken years ago
(Photo: AP)
Now, a new investigation by Sistema, the investigative project of Radio Svoboda, has revealed additional details about two sons reportedly shared by Putin and his unofficial partner, former Olympic rhythmic gymnastics champion Alina Kabaeva.
Putin has never publicly acknowledged a romantic relationship with Kabaeva, 43, who is 30 years his junior, nor has he publicly addressed reports that they have children together. That subject, too, has long remained a taboo in Russia.
Fear of germs and immense wealth
According to the investigation, the two boys live in near-total isolation, in what it describes as a secluded “Western bubble.” While Putin publicly promotes a confrontational stance toward the West, the report, published outside Russia, says the boys, Ivan, 11, and Vladimir, known as “Vova,” 7, receive private home-schooling based on Western educational values, including the study of European languages.
The investigation portrays a life marked by extreme isolation, fear of germs and extraordinary wealth. Since the age of 2, the boys have reportedly been surrounded by at least 20 private tutors and governesses recruited from countries including Britain, Germany and Austria. They study English and German and even celebrate Western Christmas with Santa Claus, apparently alongside Ded Moroz, the traditional Russian gift-giver.
According to the report, the children do not attend school or interact with other children their age. They live in isolated presidential residences protected by air defense systems. Foreign tutors employed there reportedly live under strict restrictions, barred from visiting cities, shopping or going to museums, while all of their belongings undergo extensive disinfection procedures.
Stomachaches logged in daily reports, barefoot walking prohibited
The report also says the family takes extraordinary precautions regarding the children’s health. Staff members undergo constant medical testing. Minor symptoms such as mild diarrhea or stomachaches are reportedly documented in daily reports, and some teachers were dismissed after routine bacteria were detected in medical screenings. Even walking barefoot indoors was reportedly prohibited on hygiene grounds.
To recruit and retain such staff, the family allegedly pays salaries of up to $8,000 a month after taxes. According to the investigation, teachers are formally listed as “senior translators” at a medical company linked to Putin associates, with the remainder of their compensation paid in cash, either in euros or U.S. dollars.
The teachers’ contracts reportedly contain particularly strict provisions, including a ban on expressing political or religious views. They are also prohibited from discussing LGBTQ-related topics or sex education. Internal documents cited by the investigation reportedly instructed staff to ensure that children were assigned only male characters during role-playing games.
Despite describing polite treatment and generous compensation, some staff members told investigators that they felt isolated from the outside world. “We were simply robots carrying out orders in complete isolation from the world,” one staff member said.
The investigation ultimately suggests that Putin’s two sons are being raised much like members of the aristocracy in 19th-century imperial Russia. It paints a picture of a childhood largely removed from ordinary life and social interaction.
More broadly, the report adds to criticism often directed at members of Russia’s elite, who publicly denounce the West while frequently embracing Western education, lifestyles and opportunities for their own families.