An image of Russian President Vladimir Putin with a woman is widely shared on social media claiming that she is Putin’s girlfriend Alina Kabaeva. It is also said that Putin made her disappear after the Ukraine-Russia war started in February 2022.
The image is shared on Facebook with a caption: “ये है पुतिन की गर्लफ्रेंड एलिना कबावेवा . पुतिन को अपनी जान से भी ज्यादा प्यारी थी.ओलंपिक में मेडल जीतने वाली जिमनास्ट थी. जिस दिन से रूस ने यूक्रेन पर हमला किया है कबावेवा गायब है. वो यूक्रेन पर हमले के खिलाफ थी. पुतिन ने गायब करा दिया. देश के लिए कुर्बानी देना तो कोई पुतिन से सीखे” (English translation: This is Putin’s girlfriend Elina Kabaveva. Putin loved more than his life itself. Medal-winning gymnast at the Olympics. Kabwewa has been missing since Russia attacked Ukraine. She was against the attack on Ukraine. Putin made it disappear. One should learn from Putin to sacrifice for the country)
Here’s the link to the above post.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the above claim, and found it to be MISLEADING.
Doing a simple Reverse Image Search, we spotted a news report in The Guardian carrying the same viral image dated April 26, 2022, with a caption: “Vladimir Putin, pictured with figure skater Kamila Valieva at a Russian state awards ceremony for 2022 Winter Olympic athletes.”
According to this report, the girl seen in the picture is Russian skater Kamila Valieva, who was accused of doping in December 2021. Kamila was a member of the Russian team that won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics held in Beijing in 2022. But the team was denied a medal due to doping allegations. Putin had supported Kamila in this whole controversy at that time. According to another news report, Russia’s Anti-doping Agency (RUSADA) has now given relief to Kamila in this matter.
Numerous images of Putin with his alleged girlfriend Alina Kabaeva have been published. But her image is quite different from the viral post.
Putin’s alleged girlfriend Kabaeva was recently seen at an event in Moscow. According to media reports, she attended a programme of Russia’s National Media Group and gave a speech there in support of the Ukraine war. In June last year too, she was seen in the city of Sochi, Russia.
Putin’s alleged lover, Alina Kabaeva, said that Russian media is a weapon of war, equal in importance to Kalashnikov rifle. pic.twitter.com/A5ZNrhN5rf
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) February 6, 2023
Thus, it is evident from the above information that the viral image showing Putin with his girlfriend is misleading.
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