Russian investigative journalists have made shocking claims about Vladimir Putin, alleging that he engaged in extramarital affairs with an underage beauty pageant contestant named Alisa Kharcheva while his long-term partner, rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, was away. The scandalous revelations suggest that Putin, who was 58 at the time, first seduced Kharcheva when she was just 17 years old.
Allegedly, Kharcheva was featured in a provocative calendar created to celebrate Putin’s birthday, with the intention of gaining favor with the then-Prime Minister of Russia. The calendar, produced by youth movement Nashi, apparently used young women as a lure for Putin. It is reported that Putin was provided with the girls’ contact information along with the calendar, and he took a particular interest in Kharcheva, who was depicted as Miss April. This account sheds new light on Putin’s intimate relationship with Kharcheva and confirms a sustained connection between the two.
According to the latest reports, Kharcheva was frequently summoned to meet Putin at his suburban residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow, during the periods when Kabaeva, the mother of Putin’s two sons, was not present. While Putin publicly announced the end of his 30-year marriage to Lyudmila in 2013, Kharcheva reportedly visited him every two weeks.
Despite maintaining secrecy about her relationship with Putin, Kharcheva was not shielded from the public eye. She appeared on television discussing the calendar and even entered the finals of the Miss Russia contest. Although she did not win the competition, she managed to secure a place in the top ten.
Nashi leaders allegedly aimed to leverage Kharcheva’s interactions with Putin to exert influence and fulfill certain requests. However, these attempts reportedly did not sit well with Putin, and he eventually ceased inviting Kharcheva over. Nonetheless, he purportedly assisted her father in obtaining a job, facilitated her enrollment at a prestigious institution, and provided her with a luxurious apartment in Moscow.
Kharcheva, now a co-owner of a successful chain of elite tanning studios, has not denied her connections to Putin but dismissed inquiries about his involvement in her success. These revelations come on the heels of a book titled ‘The Tsar in Person, How Vladimir Putin Fooled Us All’, which alleges that Putin advocates for traditional marriages publicly but engages in various relationships privately.
Putin has been quoted as saying, “I have a private life in which I do not permit interference. It must be respected,” condemning those who invade others’ personal lives with their prying and fantasies.