Swiss petition to kick Putin's rumoured lover out of the country hits 63,000 signatures

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A petition demanding that Switzerland expels Vladimir Putin's rumoured lover out of their country has hit more than 63,000 signatures.

Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 38, is believed to have been sent to a private chalet in Switzerland earlier this month as Putin continues to wage war in Ukraine.

Kabaeva is widely believed to be the Russian strongman's mistress and mother to four of Putin's children whom he has never officially recognised.

A petition, launched by citizens in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine two weeks ago, has called for Swiss authorities to kick Kabaeva out of Switzerland and deport her back to Russia. 

The appeal, which describes Kabaeva as the 'favourite wife of the delusional dictator and war criminal Putin', has since reached over 63,000 signatures.  

'It's time you reunite Eva Braun with her Führer,' the strongly-worded petition said. 

'Despite the current war, Switzerland continues to host an accomplice of Putin's regime.' 

Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 38, (pictured with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin) is believed to have been sent to a private chalet in Switzerland earlier this month as Putin continues to wage war in Ukraine

Kabaeva is widely believed to be the Russian strongman's mistress and mother to four of Putin's children whom he has never officially recognised

The West has so far not sanctioned Kabaeva, who as well as being Putin's rumoured secret partner is also chairman of the board of directors at National Media Group - a major Kremlin-obedient TV and newspaper behemoth - with a salary of almost £8 million a year.  

The pair have been pictured together on several occasions, and investigations by the Anti-Corruption Foundation, set up by jailed Putin opponent Alexei Navalny, revealed several Russian oligarchs have inexplicably bestowed gifts of property, money and other assets upon Kabaeva's family. 

The former gymnast is seldom seen in public, but she was caught on video dancing at the 'Divine Grace' rhythmic gymnastics tournament in Moscow in December last year, mere weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine.

It is feared that Putin’s carefully hidden assets may mean Kabaeva and her family have been able to escape the tough sanctions announced by the Swiss Federal Council in February. 

'We, the citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, which is currently undergoing immense suffering, are uniting to appeal to the Swiss authorities,' stated the petition, which was posted on change.org in in German, French and English.

'The public has just learned that the Russian political and media figure, and former athlete, Alina Kabaeva, is hiding the consequences of the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation in your country.'

Alina Kabaeva shakes hands with Vladimir Putin during a meeting with other gymnasts in the  Kremlin

Cars and buildings are seen on fire after shelling, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday

The petition continued: 'She is the favorite wife of delusional dictator and war criminal who has been treacherously attacking Ukraine over the past weeks.'

The petitioners questioned why, 'given the volume of sanctions placed on Russia', Swiss authorities continue to host her and her family at a time when Putin 'is destroying the lives of millions'. 

The petition tells the Swiss: 'For the first time in modern history, your country has violated its neutrality, which it did not even do vis-à-vis Nazi Germany in the 20th century, and joined the sanctions against Putin and his surroundings.

'And now you are allowing his favourite mistress and her children to hide within the borders of your state.'

There is as yet no independently verified evidence that Kabaeva, a former pro-Putin MP, is hiding in Switzerland, where she is thought to have given birth to the Russian President's children. 

The petition calls for the Swiss authorities to 'investigate very carefully the legal basis on which she is present in your country, and to check 'the cleanliness of the funds used for the purchase of real estate in Switzerland, of which this person uses'. 

A petition, launched by citizens in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine two weeks ago, has called for Swiss authorities to kick Kabaeva out of Switzerland and deport her back to Russia

Kabaeva has made very few public appearances as of late, but did give a statement which slammed the decision preventing the Russian team to compete at the Beijing Paralympics in light of the war in Ukraine.

'There has never been a more shameful page in the history of world sports,' she said.

'They did not worry and did not remove from the competition any country that participated in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of civilians in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, and Syria.

'But sports officials were very angry when Russia decided to protect the Donbas and Luhansk from the Nazis.'

She complained that Olympic officials 'tried so hard to humiliate the Russians, banned our symbols, flag and anthem'. 

'Russia was, is and will be a great sports power - and you can't do anything about it.'

Rumours first linked her romantically to Putin as long ago as 2008 when she was a pro-Kremlin MP.

Tabloid Express Gazeta recounted in May when she was still out of sight: 'She literally vanished.

'After the giving-birth-to-twins reports nothing was heard about Kabaeva, as if she had disappeared. Alina is not giving interviews, nor attending social events, nor participating in any TV programmes.

'One can only guess what is happening in her private life.'

Putin - who in 2013 announced his divorce from wife Lyudmila, a former Aeroflot stewardess - has previously said: 'I have a private life in which I do not permit interference. It must be respected.'

He said he deplored 'those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others' lives'.

Kabaeva is on record as saying she had met a man who 'I love very much', gushing: 'Sometimes you feel so happy that you even feel scared.'

In 2001 Kabaeva was temporarily banned from competing in rhythmic gymnastics after failing a doping test.

A year earlier she had won gold at the 2000 summer Olympics. 

She is reported to have a fleet of Maybach limousines at her disposal, and has been seen surrounded by a squad of machine-gun toting security guards while visiting cafes and restaurants in Moscow.

Many Russians saw her as the reason for the breakup of Putin's marriage to ex-first lady Lyudmila, 63, mother of his two adult daughters.