White House Addresses Why It Hasn't Sanctioned Vladimir Putin's Rumored Girlfriend

SERGEI CHIRIKOV/AFP via Getty Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) hands flowers to Alina Kabayeva, Russian rhytmic gymnastics star and Olympic prize winner, after awarding her with an Order of Friendship during annual award ceremony in the Kremlin in 2001

While Vladimir Putin is among the major Russian figures already subject to economic retaliation from Western countries amid his country's invasion of Ukraine, others in the autocratic president's inner circle — namely: his longtime rumored girlfriend Alina Kabaeva — have not been named. Yet.

The White House has, however, mulled sanctioning 38-year-old Kabaeva, according to a Sunday report in The Wall Street Journal.

The White House addressed the story this week, with Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying on Monday that "no one is safe from our sanctions" when asked why the administration had so refrained from targeting Kabaeva.

"Well I would remind you that we are continuing to review sanctions," Psaki told reporters at a briefing, adding, "We've already of course sanctioned President Putin, but also his daughters, his closest cronies, and we'll continue to review more."

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Putin was personally sanctioned by the Biden administration and European Union allies in February, shortly after the invasion began. And earlier this month, the U.S., the European Union and Group of Seven countries announced more punishments against Russia for the war, including some directed at Putin's adult children — Mariya and Katerina, also known as Masha and Katya.

But those punishments did not extend to Kavaeva, a former Olympic gold medal rhythmic gymnast with whom the Russian leader has long been rumored to be in a relationship.

The Journal reported Sunday that Kabaeva — who is believed by some to be the mother of at least three of Putin's children — is known as his mistress among government officials. (The Kremlin has long avoided discussing much about Putin's personal life; experts have said his air of mystery and mystique has strategic value.)

SERGEI CHIRIKOV/AFP via Getty Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with famous Russian gymnasts Alina Kabayeva (C) and Svetlana Khorkina (L)

In 2008, a Russian news outlet reported that Putin (then 56) had divorced his first wife, Lyudmila Shkrebneva, and gotten engaged to Kabaeva, then 24.

That story was promptly denied by Putin — and the news outlet shut down — but by 2013, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin and Lyudmila had indeed divorced.

Meanwhile, the speculation regarding his relationship with Kabaeva has persisted and reports suggest that she allegedly went into hiding after the invasion, along with their possible children, in a highly secure Swiss chalet.

This past weekend, the former gymnast — who was stripped of some of her medals after testing positive for a banned substance in 2002 — made a rare public appearance at a gymnastics exhibition in Moscow.

NBC News reported that Kabaeva made remarks at the event in front of a backdrop comprised of "Zs," which has become a symbol of support among some for the Russian invasion.

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Russia's attack Ukraine, which began in earnest in late February, has killed at least thousands of soldiers and civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.

Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.

"Nobody is going to break us, we're strong, we're Ukrainians," he told the European Union in a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, "Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness."

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.