© Getty Images

Roots -

Alina Maratovna Kabaeva was born on May 12, 1983, in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR (today’s Uzbekistan), then-Soviet Union.

© Shutterstock

Gymnastics -

Kabaeva has had a very successful career as a rhythmic gymnast, a sport she embarked on at the age of three.

© Getty Images

Champion -

Throughout her career, Kabaeva has won 21 European Championship medals and 14 World Championship medals.

© Getty Images

Olympics -

In addition to previously mentioned successes, Alina Kabaeva went on to win two Olympic medals. The first one was bronze at 2000 Sydney.

© Getty Images

Olympics -

And in 2004, the Russian gymnast conquered gold at the Athens Olympics in the Individual All-Around for Rhythmic Gymnastics.

© Getty Images

Doping scandal -

In 2001, Kabaeva tested positive for furosemide (a diuretic) and was banned for a year.

© Getty Images

Doping scandal -

Kabaeva claimed the substance came from tainted pills she bought at a pharmacy.

© Getty Images

Legacy -

Alina Kabaeva’s contributions to rhythmic gymnastics are noteworthy. She even gave her own twist to some movements, including the way she performed a back split pivot, which became known as her signature move: "The Kabaeva."

© Getty Images

Movie -

Kabaeva can be seen performing a gymnastics routine in the Japanese movie ‘Red Shadow’ (2001), directed by Hiroyuki Nakano.

© Getty Images

New career -

After her successful career as a gymnast, Alina Kabaeva embarked on new careers, in both politics and media.

© Getty Images

Political career -

Kabaeva represented the United Russia party as a Member of the Russian Parliament between 2007 and 2014. Her salary was 11 million rubles, about US$140,000.

© Getty Images

Media career -

In September 2014, Kabaeva abandoned her political career and accepted the position of chair of the board of directors of the National Media Group. The group controls the country’s major media outlets, including Izvestia, Channel One, and REN TV.

© Getty Images

Media career -

Kabaeva was heavily criticized for both her lack of experience for the role and the huge annual salary package (reportedly around US$12 million).

© Getty Images

Alleged relationship with Vladimir Putin -

In April 2008, the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Korrespondent reported that the President and Kabaeva were engaged. The Kremlin denied the story and the newspaper was shut down.

© Getty Images

Putin’s response to the allegation -

Putin responded to newspaper report of his alleged relationship, saying: "I have always disliked those who, with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies, break into other people’s private affairs.”

© Getty Images

Alleged relationship with Vladimir Putin -

However, it has been speculated that Kabaeva and Putin have maintained a relationship for many years, and indeed it has been reported that the two even have children together. This, however, has always been denied by both.

© Getty Images

Children -

Rumors have spread that Kabaeva had a daughter at Clinic Sant'Anna in Ticino, Switzerland, and that she gave birth to twin sons at the Kulakov maternity clinic in Moscow. Again, this information has not been confirmed by either Kabaeva or the Russian President.

© Getty Images

When did the relationship flare? -

It has been rumored that the spark between the two occurred in 2014, when Kabaeva was selected as a torchbearer at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

© Getty Images

Was Putin married back then? -

In 2013, Putin announced that he had separated from his wife of 30 years, Lyudmila Shkrebneva. One year later, the couple was legally divorced.

© Getty Images

Sanctions -

Several sanctions were imposed on numerous Russian politicians and business people in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This has not been the case with Kabaeva, however.

© Getty Images

Sanctions -

This is because the US believes sanctioning Kabaeva might be perceived as a personal attack on Putin.

© Getty Images

Sanctions -

Former US intelligence officer Rebekah Koffler disagrees with the country’s position, saying that sanctioning Kabaeva would “certainly hurt" and “make her life miserable.”

© Getty Images

Sanctions -

And “it will definitely, definitely [cause] some damage to his holdings, his wealth that is stashed away in all kinds of tax havens including spread among his relatives and family," Koffler added.

© Getty Images

Where is Alina Kabaeva? -

Kabaeva has been reportedly spending time in Switzerland ever since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started.

© Shutterstock

Where is Alina Kabaeva? -

She was reportedly sighted at both a luxury residence in Lugano and another one in Cologny.

© Shutterstock

Where is Alina Kabaeva? -

The Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police released a statement that denied this, however, saying: “We have no indication of the presence of this person in Switzerland.”

© Getty Images

Recent appearance -

More recently, Kabaeva made a rare public appearance at the VTB Arena in Moscow during the 'Alina' festival (named after her). 

© Shutterstock

Recent appearance -

The alleged girlfriend of Putin could be seen in front of a billboard with “Z” logos (the symbol used in support of Russia’s military operations).

Sources: (The Wall Street Journal) (Fox News) (Page Six)

See also: Who is Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska?

© Getty Images