Boss accused of working for Putin's 'secret family' breaks silence

Agency Boss Responds to Claims of Staffing for Putin’s Alleged Family

The head of a recruitment firm implicated in placing personnel for Vladimir Putin’s purported “secret family” has addressed the allegations in an exclusive interview with the Express. Reports surfaced last year from the investigative Dossier Centre, alleging that President Vladimir Putin secretly fathered two sons with Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast. The nanny agency executive refutes direct ties to the family, amidst swirling rumours and speculation.

Claims of Palace and English Teacher Requirement

The Dossier Centre report further asserted that the children were residing in a highly fortified European residence and required a resident English tutor. This detail fueled speculation that a job advertisement posted by the English Nanny agency, seeking staff for a family “living in seclusion,” was actually for the care of Putin’s alleged offspring.

Agency Head “Can’t Comment” on Clients

When questioned by the Express about whether he was serving the Russian head of state, Valentin Grogol, 40, the director of the agency, declined to comment directly on client specifics. However, Mr. Grogol suggested that his agency’s prominent position within Moscow’s elite circles made it a likely subject of such conjecture.

“I can’t comment” on clients, stated Mr. Grogol. He further remarked that given his agency’s leading status among Moscow’s wealthiest individuals, its mention in connection to this kind of “rumour” was not unexpected.

Agency’s Clientele and Vetting Procedures

Establishing his company in 2009, Mr. Grogol has specialised in supplying staff to affluent individuals in Russia and internationally. His known client roster includes Diora Usmanova, niece-in-law of Alisher Usmanov, the former Arsenal Football Club shareholder, whose family stature is such that she is often referred to as an Uzbek “princess”.

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Anzhelika Khan, who challenged UK Government sanctions imposed following the Ukraine conflict in court this year, was Grogol’s initial client. The Moscow-based agency has also found childcare professionals for Irina Bolgar, former spouse of Telegram messaging app founder Pavel Durov.

Mr. Grogol’s success in attracting Russia’s wealthiest clientele is partly attributed to his rigorous staff screening process. The entrepreneur described client demands ranging from mandatory medical testing for prospective nannies to polygraph examinations to assess their honesty and deter theft.

Heightened Scrutiny Post-Ukraine Conflict

Since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine three years prior, Mr. Grogol has introduced an additional screening measure: evaluating potential employees’ perspectives on Russia.

“We ask them, ‘What is your opinion [on Russians]? – are you OK to fly to Russia? Do you feel any hatred against Russia?’” he explained.

“We check as much information as we can. We are trying to find politically neutral people.”

Demand for English-Speaking Staff Remains Strong

Mr. Grogol noted that the desire for nannies with British accents among Russian billionaires persists at previous levels. Despite UK government sanctions complicating payments to British employees, he affirmed that British professionals’ interest in working for wealthy Russians in Moscow is unchanged.

He further indicated that British childcare workers are willing to disregard the strained relations between the UK and Russia, attracted by the prospect of annual incomes potentially reaching £180,000.

British Workers Seek Opportunities in Russia

The Express recently interviewed UK nationals who have chosen to overlook the conflict in Ukraine and pursue employment with Russian oligarchs, highlighting the continued appeal of such high-paying roles.