THIS is the surprising moment Vladimir Putin appears to slip up on live TV and confirm he has two secret children.
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Vladimir Putin let slip the biggest hint of his potential offspring so far during a marathon televised question and answer session in Moscow today.
Rumours over secret sons have surrounded the despot for years after independent journalists uncovered a potential fresh family growing.
The unverified claims say the ageing tyrant and long-term partner Kabaeva – a woman decades younger than him – actually have boys already.
Ivan, 9 and Vladimir, 5, are said to be the latest two additions to the Putin family tree.
He has never confirmed these children with the Kremlin officially stating he has just two daughters – Maria Vorontsova, 39, and Katerina Tikhonova, 38.
A third secret child is also said to exist known as DJ Luiza Rozova, 21, – given to Vlad by former cleaner Svetlana Krivonogikh.
Putin has remained tight lipped around his personal life for years as he rarely opens up about his home and family publicly.
But in an unguarded moment from today’s address, he let down his mask and mentioned watching fairy tale films with “my little ones”.
The 72-year-old spoke about his desire for more patriotic films to be seen by the youth in Russia.
He personally mentioned traditional fairy tales as he pleaded with film producers to stop going abroad and instead stay close to Moscow.
Vlad said: “This drives our own production, including film production, that’s true.
“And considering such a unifying uplift of society, the kind of uplift that brings people together, is, of course, very important.
“Our historic fairy tales and epic tales are being revived.
“I myself sometimes watch these with pleasure with my little ones.”
State propaganda channel RT later translated his words as “my junior family members”.
A beaming smile quickly appeared on his face as the words slipped out of his mouth.
The kids, Ivan and Vladimir, are believed to live with Kabaeva in several of Putin’s many lavish homes across different regions of Russia.
Russian Investigative media outlet, Dossier Centre once said: “The sons live in isolated residences, travelling on yachts and business jets.
“They are guarded by FSO [Federal Protective Service] officers, with nannies, governesses and professional trainers by their side around the clock.
“The brothers have little contact with their peers and see little of their parents, but they appreciate the rare moments they manage to spend with their father.”
They do not attend schools and are taught in Putin’s palaces – like the royal children of Russian tsars.
The children have never been seen in public and live out of sight behind the palace walls, the journalists working to uncover them say.
Vlad has only ever spoken about his family on a few occasions.
In one angered rant he said: “I have a private life in which I do not permit interference. It must be respected.”
He continued to blast “those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others’ lives”.
Putin’s latest lover
When Putin was first rumoured to be dating Alina Kabaeva it came as a bombshell to many due to her past.
In 2004 she posed almost nude for Maxim magazine in Russia.
The shoot – in which she wore just fur – was described as “full of sex” by a photographer.
Kabaeva was also photographed naked apart from strategically-placed lilacs as part of a Russian project called “Twelve Months” by Ekaterina Rozhdestvenskaya.
She first shot to fame as a teen when she competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and won a bronze medal.
Four years later she romped home with a gold medal and was soon hailed as one of Russia’s most flexible women.
It was around this time that Alina — who was stripped of six of her world championship medals for doping — first met Putin.
He was married and she was in a relationship with a police officer at the time.
In spring 2008 a newspaper owned by Putin’s ex-KGB spy colleague Alexander Lebedev claimed Alina was romantically linked to Putin.
They were then dogged with rumours of a pregnancy multiple times over the years – which Alina played up to.
In the years since her relationship with Vlad was first suggested Kabaeva appeared on a Russian show called One Hundred Questions for Adults.
She was quickly questioned about her private life by an audience full of children.
In one clip, was asked by a young boy if she had met her “ideal man” to which she replied giggling: “I have.”
She was then asked who the mystery man in her life was but would only reveal “he’s a very good man, a great man”.
Kabaeva added: “Sometimes you feel so happy that you even feel scared.”
Despite this Putin has always denied their relationship.
