Putin Is Back Amidst Baby Rumors With Alina Kabaeva Surfacing In Switzerland

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been seen in public since March 5. The 62-year-old was reported to be ill, but a Putin Spokesman denied that strongly. The spokesperson said that Putin is in private meetings the whole time. Now the Swiss newspaper Blick reports that Putin could be in Switzerland. According to the report Putin’s unofficial girlfriend Alina Kabaeva has given birth in the Swiss hospital Clinica Sant’Anna, which is a favorite with rich Russians.

Alina Kabaeva is a former highly decorated rhythmic gymnast. She has won two Olympic medals and after her sports career she was a State Duma deputy from the United Russia party. Since September 2014 she is the chairwoman of the board of directors of the National Media Group (NMG). She has clearly has personal ties to Putin, but it is not officially known how close they are. Back in 2008 she was even rumored to be engaged to Putin.

She was in the headlines last year because she was one of the torch bearers during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Just when the Swiss Putin Baby story broke, Reuters reports that Russian TV broadcasted today footage of Vladimir Putin meeting Supreme Court chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev in his residence near Moscow. So is Putin back? It appears so. The TV report was short, but showed Putin in the same shape as he has been before his disappearance. His absence seemed to give the Ukraine some breathing room.