- The only two people that would have been Vladimir Putin’s siblings died before his birth during World War II
- The Russian president was born in 1952, 10 years after the death of his last surviving brother
- Putin and his two siblings didn’t get to meet each other
Vladimir Putin is at the forefront of the Russian- Ukrainian invasion that was launched in February 2022. Despite the huge loss of lives and humanitarian crisis, Putin’s Russia is ready to over ride the country into doing its bidding. The irony, however, is that Vladimir Putin’s siblings were once the victims of a catastrophic war that took their lives even before Putin was born.
While the Russian President started his career as an intelligence chief with the KGB before he resigned in 1991 and joined politics in 1996, he moved through the ranks to reassuming the office of the president in 2012. His older brothers, Albert and Vicktor never lived to half his current age of 71.
Who Are Vladimir Putin’s Siblings?
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is currently the second longest serving president in Europe following Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarus president also known as the ‘last dictator’. Putin is the third child of his parents, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Ivanovna Putina and the only survivor.
He had two older brothers Albert Vladimirovich Putin and Viktor Vladimirovich Putin who were born years before the Russian president, Putin. Yet the never survived to adulthood.
Unfortunately for the three brothers, none of them got to meet each other as while Albert who was born in the 1930s also died in the same decade, Victor was born in the 1940s, only to die in the same decade as an infant. It was in the following decade that Putin was born.
Albert Vladimirovich
- Date of Birth: Mid 1930’s
- Perido of death: 1930s
- Place of Birth: Peterhof, St Petersburg
- Parents: Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, Maria Ivanovna Putina
- Cause of Death: Died at Infancy
He is the first and oldest among Vladimir Putin’s siblings. Albert was born in the mid-30s shortly before the second world war broke out. His life is not as well known and documented like his youngest brother who would rise to become one of the strongmen of Russia.
Albert reportedly died in infancy and the cause of his death was never verified.
Viktor Vladimirovich Putin
- Date of Birth: 1940
- Died: 1942
- Place of Birth: Leningrad (now St Petersburg)
- Parents: Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin, Maria Ivanovna Putina
- Cause of Death: Diphtheria
- Sibling: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
The second Putin boy was Viktor. Most of his young life was filled with the horror of the St Petersburg siege. He was not only taken away from his mother, but he faced starvation as a result of the blockade on the town.
Many sources recount a very high number of deaths as a result of the siege. For the short period of his infant life that he lived, Viktor was either mostly hungry or just trying to be safe as the German forces tried to overrun the city.
See Also: Galina Lukashenko Is Alexander Lukashenko’s Wife: 10 Facts
The Truth About How Vladimir Putin’s Siblings Died
1. Putin Lost one of his Brother’s in the 872-day Siege of Leningrad
History holds the fact that many families suffered during the 872-day siege of Leningrad (now St Petersburg) during the Nazi blockade of the city beginning in 1941.
During the siege, the supply lines of the town were cut off while people including children were left to die of starvation. Yet, not many are aware that Vladimir Putin’s family suffered greatly from the siege.
2. His Brother Died at a Children’s Hospital
Putin’s brother who was slightly over 1 year old at the time was taken away from his mother to save him. But as the siege intensified, many people lost their lives and his brother was among them. His brother died at a children’s hospital and was buried inn mass graves alongside others.
3. Vladimir Putin’s Brother was Buried in an Unmarked Grave
Since there was an ongoing war at the time Victor Putin died, he was buried alongside other victims in unmarked graves. As a result, his exact grave is not known
When recalling the sad event at a wreath laying ceremony held in honor of the victims at Piskaryovskkoye Cemetery in St Petersburg, Putin said he could not even locate his brother’s grave. About 470 000 civilians and soldiers that fell during the siege were buried in that cemetery in mass graves.
4. Vladimir Putin Is The Only Survivor Among His Siblings
Vladimir Putin was born on October 7, 1952 in Leningrad and is the only surviving child of his parents three children. He defied all odds to arrive the world looking at the challenges of war that his parents went through.
His parents were survivors of the first and second world wars. His mother was once almost buried alive after she fainted of starvation during the war. It took the effort of his father to get her back to health.
There are many versions of how the couple survived. One account states her body was piled up with other corpses to be buried. And that it was only after someone heard her make a sound before her husband stopped the burial and took her away.
Another source claim, her husband recovered her and took her to the hospital where he was being treated for injuries he sustained in the war. Whatever the source one is taking, it is obvious that the Putin’s were later reunited and they both survived on the husband’s food rations while on admission at the hospital.
Putin’s birth may never have taken place if either of his parents had lost their lives. Yet, after burying two children, the Putin’s welcomed their last child Putin at a late age. According to some sources, Vladimir Putin’s mother, Maria Ivanovna Putina was already 41 years old at the time that she gave birth to Putin.
As the surviving child among his siblings, Putin’s lowly history filled with the horrors of war has not restrained him from achieving political success.
5. Viktor Putin’s Name was found on the List of the Victims
His brother’s name was later gotten on the list of victims by a memorial organization known as We Remember Them All By Name. According to their spokesperson, Aleksandr Nesmeyanov, his record was found among others bearing the Putin name.
This was contained in a mass grave bearing 10 men and five women of the Putin family. Interestingly, the baby’s identity had a close resemblance to Viktor since he had the patronymic name of Vladimirovich.
It is observed that Putin visits the cemetery to pay his respects to the death, yet, his brother’s grave has never been found.
