Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) hands flowers to Alina Kabayeva, Russian rhytmic gymnastics star and Olympic prize winner, after awarding her with an Order of Friendship during annual award ceremony in the Kremlin in 2001.Photo: SERGEI CHIRIKOV/AFP via Getty
WhileVladimir Putinis among the major Russian figures already subject to economic retaliation from Western countries amid his country’sinvasion of Ukraine, others in the autocratic president’s inner circle — namely: his longtime rumored girlfriend Alina Kabaeva — have not been named. Yet.
The White House has, however, mulled sanctioning 38-year-old Kabaeva, according to a Sunday report inThe Wall Street Journal.
The White House addressed the story this week, with Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying on Monday that “no one is safe from our sanctions” when asked why the administration had so refrained from targeting Kabaeva.
“Well I would remind you that we are continuing to review sanctions,” Psaki told reporters at a briefing, adding, “We’ve already of course sanctioned President Putin, but also his daughters, his closest cronies, and we’ll continue to review more.”
But those punishments did not extend to Kavaeva, a former Olympic gold medal rhythmic gymnast with whom the Russian leader has long been rumored to be in a relationship.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with famous Russian gymnasts Alina Kabayeva (C) and Svetlana Khorkina (L).SERGEI CHIRIKOV/AFP via Getty
In 2008, a Russian news outlet reported that Putin (then 56) had divorced his first wife, Lyudmila Shkrebneva, and gotten engaged to Kabaeva, then 24.
Meanwhile, the speculation regarding his relationship with Kabaeva has persisted and reports suggest that she allegedly went into hiding after the invasion, along with their possible children, in ahighly secure Swiss chalet.
This past weekend, the former gymnast — who was stripped of some of her medals aftertesting positive for a banned substance in 2002— made a rare public appearance at a gymnastics exhibition in Moscow.
NBC Newsreported thatKabaeva made remarks at the event in front of a backdrop comprised of “Zs,” which has become a symbol of support among some for the Russian invasion.
Russia’s attack Ukraine, which began in earnest in late February,has killed at leastthousands of soldiers and civilians.
Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyyhas called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
