Vladimir Putin, 73, briefly acknowledged he is in love during his year-end news conference, replying "Yes" when asked and offering no further detail. The admission comes amid longstanding speculation linking him to former gymnast Alina Kabaeva and reports of private children, though many such claims remain unconfirmed. The personal comment was a fleeting moment in a press conference otherwise focused on Russia's military aims in Ukraine and Putin's support for Donald Trump's lawsuit against the BBC.
Putin Says He’s in Love — A Rare Personal Admission at His Year-End Press Conference
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Vladimir Putin, 73, offered a rare personal remark on Friday when he briefly acknowledged that he is currently in love during his annual year-end news conference.
At the carefully staged event, state-affiliated 360 journalist Regina Orekhova referenced an earlier comment by Putin about believing in love at first sight and asked directly, "Mr. President, are you in love?" Putin replied simply, "Yes," and provided no further details.
Putin and Russian gymnast Alina Kabaeva are believed to have been romantically involved since at least 2008. / SERGEI CHIRIKOV / POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Rumors and Past Relationships
Putin has long guarded his private life, but Russian and international media have repeatedly linked him to former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 42. Reports and outside observers have speculated that the two have been associated for roughly eighteen years and that they may share two children reportedly aged around ten and six, who are said to be living under assumed names.
He was previously married to Lyudmila Putina from 1983; the Kremlin confirmed their divorce in April 2014. In 2008, the tabloid Moskovsky Korrespondent published claims that Putin had divorced Lyudmila and was engaged to Kabaeva; the Kremlin denied the report and the paper was closed not long afterward.
Vladimir Putin and his ex-wife Lyudmila Putina. / Sasha Mordovets / Getty Images
Other women have been linked to Putin in persistent media reports, including Svetlana Krivonogikh, who has been the subject of rumors about a child, and Alisa Kharcheva, a former Miss Russia contestant whose relationship to Putin has been described in some reports. Many of these accounts remain unconfirmed.
Other Remarks at the Conference
The brief, personal exchange offered a humanizing moment in an otherwise stern news conference in which Putin reiterated that the Kremlin would pursue its stated military objectives in Ukraine. He said he would not interfere in a planned Ukrainian election to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky — whose term officially ended in 2024 but who remains in office under wartime rules — even as he continues to challenge Zelensky's legitimacy in negotiations.
Though the Kremlin has never confirmed it, Putin is thought to have two children with Kabaeva. / Sasha Mordovets / Getty Images
Putin also voiced support for former U.S. President Donald Trump in Trump’s reported $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC, saying, "It’s obvious. I think President Trump is right," referring to claims that the broadcaster deceptively edited a pre-Jan. 6 speech.
Context and Caution
Putin’s one-word admission — delivered without details or names — is unlikely to alter the broader geopolitical issues he addressed at the conference. Many of the personal claims circulating in media reports remain unverified, and reputable coverage typically describes them as claims or rumors rather than established facts.
