Vladimir Putin 's long-secret lover, Alina Kabaeva, has been stepping out of the shadows lately, RadarOnline.com can report, voicing her opinions on topics like Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine .

The former Olympic gymnast's romance with the Russian president is believed to date back to 2006, seven years before Putin announced his divorce from ex-wife Lyudmila Ocheretnaya. Article continues below advertisement

Putin, 72, and Ocheretnaya, 67, were married for more than 30 years before publicly announcing the end of their marriage in June 2013. They said it was based on a "mutual decision."

Kabaeva, now 42, first caught Putin's attention while competing as a rhythmic gymnast. Throughout her lengthy career, she has won two Olympic medals – including a gold in Athens in 2004 and

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