Alina Kabaeva, Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin's girlfriend and mother of his alleged love child born last year, has suddenly vanished, say reports.

A former gymnastics champion, Kabaeva has reportedly been Putin's secret girlfriend since 2006. She is more than 30 years younger than 57-year-old Putin.

Born last year, Putin's alleged love child has been named Dimitry, according to reports.

But now Alina Kabaeva, the gorgeous, 5-foot-4, 26-year-old girlfriend-mistress of the Russian prime minister, has all but vanished, says the New York Post.

Quoting a friend of Putin's girlfriend, the Post says: 'Her numbers have all been disconnected, and only five people are in touch with her - her ex-coach, her parents and two other gymnasts who serve in the Duma (the Russian parliament).

'This is modus operandi for Putin, who has always hated the press unless it is a photo-op of him shirtless, hunting tigers in Siberia.'

After starting his secret relationship with the most decorated gymnast in Russia in 2006 after her retirement from the sport, Putin got her elected to the Russian parliament on his party's ticket more than two years ago.

Half Muslim, Kabaeva was born in Tashkent - now the capital of Uzbekistan - in the then Soviet Union.

A Russian web site has recently said that Putin was considering divorcing his wife Ludmila with whom he has two daughters. 'Considering Russia's Muslim population is about 30 million, it might not hurt him (Putin) politically to have a beautiful, half-Muslim wife,' the web site said.