A DOCTOR who allegedly oversaw the birth of Vladimir Putin's two children with his gymnast lover has died after revealing the kids' existence.
Dr Natalia Thiebaud Kondratieva, 63, died in Switzerland on February 24 – the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Her death came just days before she was named in an investigation into Putin and his lover Alina Kabaeva – which revealed their staggering wealth and luxurious lifestyle.
Dr Kondratieva was identified for the first time by Russian investigative outlet Proekt as the doctor who had been with Kabaeva for the birth of at least two of Putin's children.
Russia's tyrannical leader is famously guarded about his sleazy private life – but he is understood to have numerous lovers and children.
It is understood Soviet-born Dr Kondratieva was the as-of-then unnamed medic who revealed the existence of the two children last year in Swiss newspaper Sonntagszeitung.
Her cause of death was not announced – and she was cremated the day after her death.
It is understood she had been under the care of cancer specialists.
However, the doctor is latest person in Putin's orbit to suddenly die.
It comes after his former spin doctor died just days ago, and more than a dozen of Vlad's pals and enemies have died since the start of the war in Ukraine.
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Last week an ex-spy oil tycoon and a former mayor in Putin's party were found dead hours apart.
On February 15, Russian defence official Marina Yankina fell to her death from the window of a high-rise block of flats.
The 58-year-old was said to have left documents on the balcony before plunging 160ft to her death.
And in December 2022, a wealthy Putin critic was found dead after a suspicious fall during his birthday trip to India.
Putin has not revealed the existence of any children with Kabaeva to Russia.
But it is understood she lives essentially as Russia's "First Lady" – enjoying a life of luxury thanks to Putin's extraordinary private fortune, that could make him the world's richest man.
On social media in 2020, Dr Kondratieva posted a message which appeared to allude to her knowing Putin.
“He is one and only Papa for all of Mother Russia!!!!,” she wrote.
“Thank you for not forgetting me.”
A picture on Red Square on May 9, 2019, shows Thiebaud with two other Swiss medics who flew to assist at the birth of one Kabaeva child around this time.
The two other women were named as neonatologist Petra Caterina Maria Donati-Genet and nurse Stella Ghizelu.
All are from Clinica Sant'Anna in Lugano where Kabaeva was reported to have earlier had another child, in 2015.
The Proekt – or Project – report said: “How did Swiss doctors, who came to Moscow for several days, end up in the VIP-stand closed to all outsiders?
“The answer to this question is quite simple.
“These Swiss women had important and secret merits before the Russian leadership.
“They were Kabaeva’s personal midwives and doctors who assisted in the birth of her children.
“It was Thiebaud and other staff at Clinica Sant'Anna who helped Kabaeva give birth in Lugano in 2015.”
There are also rumours that Putin and Kabaeva have at least one more child.
While it was reported before that Kabaeva had been in the care of Clinica Sant’Anna staff, the obstetrician had not been named.
It is unclear if she knew she would be named before her death.
A death notice published by her partner Giorgio Grandini did not state her role in the birth of Putin’s children.
One of the medics who was thanked in the death notice was Paola Rodoni Cassis, wife of the Swiss foreign minister.
He was until recently president of the Swiss confederation.
Thiebaud had lived long term in Switzerland.
Her death comes amid the backdrop of growing pressure for Putin over his war failures in Ukraine.
Russia is estimated to have lost almost 150,000 soldiers in Ukraine as they are smashed against a heroic Ukrainian resistance led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Putin's future is now seen as tied to his success or failure.
Moscow still controls one-fifth of Ukraine but has seen major battlefield defeats and hopes of a quick victory dashed.
Vlad is desperate to win to save himself – and sees the war as part of a wider conflict with the West.
Britain, the US, and other Western nations are all supporting Ukraine with weapons and supplies.
Russia expected to be welcomed as conquering liberators when they staged their invasion nearly one year ago.
But instead of flags and cheering crowds, they were met with gunfire and brave resistance.
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Putin is facing internal political pressure with the anniversary now just days away – and very little to show for the vast expenditure of blood and treasure.
It is believed that if Putin continues to fail in the war, his regime could collapse – and it could have dire consequences for Russia.
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