Friends of Vladimir Putin‘s alleged lover have begged her to go to Moscow and persuade him to end the war, it is claimed.
Former gymnast Alina Kabaeva is believed to be holed up in a luxury mountain mansion in Switzerland as calls mount for her to be expelled.
The 38-year-old, who is rumoured to have four children with the Russian President, is not among the figures close to Putin who are facing sanctions.
Pals are said to be hopeful that Kabaeva can persuade him to bring the bloodshed to an end.
A source told Page Six: “Alina’s female friends are begging her to fly to Putin and persuade him to end the war.
“He doesn’t seem to be listening to anybody, but perhaps he might listen to her.”
But the insider claimed Kabaeva is fearful about how Putin will react if she voices any opposition to the conflict.
They said that the president is “surrounded by rings and rings of security”, adding: “Alina says she doesn’t know if she can get to him – and even if she does – she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to get out again to be with their kids.”
The West has so far not sanctioned Kabaeva – although as well as being Putin’s rumoured secret partner, she is also chairman of the board of directors at National Media Group, a major Kremlin-obedient TV and newspaper behemoth, at a salary of almost £8 million a year.
A petition signed by nearly 60,000 people likens her with Eva Braun, Hitler’s mistress.
It says: “It’s time you reunite Eva Braun with her Führer.”
And it continues: “Despite the current war, Switzerland continues to host an accomplice of Putin’s regime.
“The public has just learned that the Russian political and media figure, and former [rhythmic gymnast], Alina Kabaeva, is hiding the consequences of the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation in your country.
“She is the favourite wife of [the] delusional dictator and war criminal who has been treacherously attacking Ukraine over the past weeks.
“As she is supportive of social activities in Russia, she has been attempting to get Russian citizens accustomed to the reality of sanctions after 2014, and personally proclaimed: ‘The worse it gets, the better for us!’”
The signatories question why “given the volume of sanctions placed on Russia” the authorities continue to host her and her family at a time when Putin “is destroying the lives of millions”.
The petition continues: “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.”