Putin Family Secret: New Book Reveals Father’s Pitchfork Attack on Mother

A bombshell new book has shattered the carefully curated image of Vladimir Putin’s family origins, alleging a horrific act of violence at its core. Claims emerge that Putin’s father, Spiridon Putin, attacked his teenage mother, Maria, with a pitchfork, resulting in her losing an eye and leading to a forced marriage – a dark family history the Russian leader allegedly sought to bury.

The explosive allegations are detailed in The Tsar in Person: How Vladimir Putin Fooled Us All, authored by Roman Badanin and Mikhail Rubin, drawing on historical research and witness testimony. As reported by Express, the book alleges the violent incident occurred in 1928 in the village of Zaruchey, Tver region, when Maria Ivanovna Shelomova was just 17 years old.

What Dark Secrets Does Putin’s Past Hold?

According to the book, Spiridon Putin “accidentally gouged out” Maria’s eye during “a fit of rage.” A key source is a local villager, Anfisa Kormilitsyna, whose testimony paints a chilling picture. She recounted that Spiridon arrived at Maria’s home with male friends while she was alone. When Maria (known as Marusya) refused them entry, Spiridon became enraged.

Kormilitsyna described the men seizing a pitchfork propped against a fence and using it to smash down the gate. Terrified, Maria fled towards the fence. At that precise moment, Spiridon broke through, the pitchfork striking her face. “He gouged out her eye by accident,” Kormilitsyna stated, adding Spiridon rushed her to the hospital where doctors were forced to remove the eye entirely.

The book asserts this violence precipitated a coerced union. “For a girl in those days, losing an eye was a disgrace,” Kormilitsyna explained. Maria’s mother reportedly threatened Spiridon with legal action if he refused to marry her daughter. The couple wed. Kormilitsyna noted Maria remained deeply self-conscious about her glass eye throughout her life, often avoiding direct eye contact.

Disturbingly, the book also cites claims from other villagers depicting Spiridon as someone known for terrorizing young girls. One alleged practice involved him lifting girls’ skirts and knotting them over their heads for village boys to see their underwear. These narratives starkly contradict Putin’s longstanding, reverential portrayal of his parents as paragons of virtue.

Putin has consistently lauded his parents, calling them “good people” and “great examples.” In a 2024 statement, he declared he “never saw [his father] drunk” and “never heard him swear,” applying the same claim to his mother. The revelation of Maria giving birth to Putin in her 40s has also fueled speculation about adoption or illegitimacy. Badanin and Rubin argue Putin has systematically obscured his true family background, crafting a sanitized myth to align with the self-image cultivated by authoritarian figures. If substantiated, these claims reveal a family history steeped in violence and coercion, fundamentally at odds with the narrative Putin presents to Russia and the world.

These explosive revelations expose a violent chapter in Vladimir Putin’s lineage, challenging his carefully constructed image. The alleged “Putin family secret” of the pitchfork attack and forced marriage, if verified, forces a stark reconsideration of the Russian leader’s origins and the myths surrounding his rise. Learn more about political biographies and historical investigations on reputable platforms like the Wilson Center.

Must Know

1. What is the main claim about Putin’s parents in the new book?
The book The Tsar in Person alleges that Vladimir Putin’s father, Spiridon, attacked his mother, Maria, with a pitchfork in 1928 when she was 17. This attack reportedly caused her to lose an eye and led to a forced marriage orchestrated under threat from Maria’s mother.

2. Who provided the testimony about the Putin family incident?
The key testimony comes from Anfisa Kormilitsyna, a villager from Zaruchey in Russia’s Tver region, where the alleged attack occurred. Her account forms a central part of the book’s investigation into Putin’s hidden family history.

3. Why does this Putin family secret matter?
This alleged “Putin family secret” matters because it directly contradicts the image of idyllic, virtuous parents that Putin has consistently presented throughout his political career. It suggests a deliberate effort to conceal a traumatic and violent family origin story.

4. How does Putin typically describe his parents?
Putin has repeatedly described his parents as morally upright, hardworking, and exemplary figures. He has claimed he never saw his father drunk or heard him swear, and extended similar praise to his mother, portraying them as foundational to his own character.

5. What other allegations does the book make about Putin’s father?
Beyond the pitchfork attack, the book cites villagers alleging Spiridon Putin terrorized young girls in Zaruchey. One specific claim describes him lifting girls’ skirts and knotting them over their heads to expose their underwear to village boys.

6. Who authored the book revealing these Putin family secrets?
The book, The Tsar in Person: How Vladimir Putin Fooled Us All, was written by investigative journalists Roman Badanin and Mikhail Rubin. Their work focuses on deconstructing Putin’s personal narrative and background.