Putin's 'tired-looking' gymnast lover reappears after 'secretly having president's baby'
VLADIMIR PUTIN's lover has made a surprise public appearance 'looking tired and having gained weight' - sparking new reports she has secretly had the Russian president's baby.
Alina Kabayeva, 32, had vanished from public life for a number of weeks prior to last night, when she attended a girls' gymnastics contest as part of 70th anniversary celebrations of the end of the Second World War.
Russian media reported the former Olympic gymnast looking slightly "overweight" and "older", which they suggested could be because she had recently become a mother, or is currently pregnant.
Observers also noted she was dressed in a larger-sized dress, as if she want to cover a fuller figure.
In February, Putin's own mystery disappearance from public life for 11 days fuelled speculation over his secretive love life.
These included reports he had travelled to Switzerland to be with Kabayeva as she gave birth to the couple's child - thought to be a baby girl.
Neither Putin nor Kabayeva confirmed or denied those reports at the time.
Last December, Putin, 62, dropped the biggest hint yet that he is seeing Kabayeva, who is 30 years his junior, by admitting he "loves and is loved".
Months earlier, Putin was shown wearing a wedding ring during a meeting with the Egyptian defence minister, before the Kremlin hastily withdrew the picture claiming it was actually from a time when he was still married to his wife Lyudmila.
A week later, at the Winter Olympics in March 2014, Kabayeva showed her ring finger to TV camera crews, prompting a flurry of internet comments.
During the opening ceremony to the Sochi Games, Kabayeva took centre stage during the torch procession as a proud Putin looked on.
Putin was first linked to Kabayeva seven years ago amid predictions he would divorce his wife Lyudmila and marry the athlete within months.
However, it was not until June 2013 that the couple divorced, ending their near 30-year marriage.
In doing so, they broke with a tradition among Russian leaders of staying together with their wives no matter what.
They have two daughters together, Maria, 30, and Katerina, 29.
Kabayeva began competing in international gymnastics aged 12.
She won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Stunning Kabayeva was also voted Russia’s most beautiful woman by a magazine and, after her sports career ended, became an MP in Putin’s United Russia party.