Last summer, the spotlight fell on Pavel Durov for reasons that went beyond his tech ventures. In August, chatter in Paris centered on custody and personal life, as Irina Bolgar, a Swiss resident, claimed on social networks that she had raised Durov’s three children and had been living with him for years. In the months that followed, she continued to speak publicly, casting questions at Durov and even hinting that Telegram might be treated as jointly owned property. The combination of Bolgar’s appearances in the media space and Durov’s arrest, accompanied by Yulia Vavilova, a 24-year-old woman, amplified public interest in the usually private founder of Telegram.
His wife and two children from the student community
In 2021, Forbes highlighted Pavel Durov as one of the heirs of substantial wealth, noting that he had two children—a daughter and a son—born in 2009 and 2010. The family has long kept details out of the spotlight, reinforcing the sense that their private life remains largely shielded from public view. Reports have tied Durov’s fortune to his ventures, with estimates suggesting a multi‑billion-dollar value that could translate into significant inheritance for his children.
Public accounts indicate that the children, Alina and Mikhail, were born during the marriage to Daria Bondarenko, a student who studied history at St. Petersburg State University. Bondarenko reportedly visited Durov during a campus interview for the university’s newspaper, where she served as editor‑in‑chief. The couple is said to have lived in Barcelona for some time, but there has been no official confirmation detailing the status of their relationship or any formal separation.
Unregistered marriage and three children
By late July 2024, Swiss resident Irina Bolgar asserted on social channels that she was raising three children fathered by Durov. She described a non‑registered partnership with an entrepreneur from St. Petersburg that lasted from 2013 to 2017, during which Leah (born 2013), Daniel (born 2016), and David (born 2017) came into the world. All three children reportedly bear the Durov surname and carry the implication that the billionaire is their biological father, as reflected in official documents.
Durov has not issued a public comment on Bolgar’s claims; instead, he announced via his Telegram channel that he had become a sperm donor about fifteen years earlier and that there are more than one hundred children in twelve countries tied to his genetic contributions.
TheImpassioned narrative from Bolgar then evolved into assertions that the billionaire refused to support her unofficial family. She claimed that a move to the United Arab Emirates was demanded by Durov in late 2022, and that after she declined, she faced financial and administrative blockages. Allegations circulated that she faced banking restrictions, interrupted bills, and limited access to immigration documents for the children. Some outlets suggested tensions and even accusations of violence, though none of these claims were independently verified in public records.
Bolgar described taking formal steps in Geneva to protect the children and renew their documents, and she suggested guardianship authorities subsequently reviewed the case. She then said that the matter culminated in a decision that affected Durov’s parental rights with regard to the children. In her ongoing updates, she has argued that unregistered partnerships can complicate property rights across different legal systems, sometimes equating such relationships with formal marriages for purposes of asset division. Her current emphasis centers on the possibility of presenting the children to their grandfather, Valery Durov, a connection they have not yet had.
Model from Hungary and her pregnancy
Another name that appears in the discourse around Durov is Diana Bako, a Hungarian model and blogger. Bolgar has suggested that Durov’s life intersected with Bako during a stay in Dubai, a claim Bolgar supports with a social media post featuring a teddy bear that she says is connected to her child Leia. In July 2024, Bako herself shared a photograph showing a rounded belly, which sparked speculation about a potential new child.
Blonde at Le Bourget airport
On August 24, 2024, Pavel Durov was detained briefly at Paris Le Bourget airport. A blonde woman, identified by social media followers as Yulia Vavilova, was seen accompanying him after the release. Vavilova is described as a Dubai‑based publisher and crypto coach, and she appeared in photos with Durov on the streets of Paris. Reports indicate that their association began earlier in 2024 after a period marked by a breakup with another claimed partner. Vavilova is said to have lived in Dubai for the past couple of years and previously resided in Moscow’s Chertanovo district.
Other models and Timati’s ex-girlfriend
Durov’s dating history has repeatedly linked him to various models. The Serbian model Katarina Pudar surfaced in discussions dating back to 2014, when she participated in a photo project tied to the seventieth anniversary of the VKontakte network. Observers noted that Durov was seen with Pudar in informal settings during that period.
Additionally, Durov has been photographed with model Helga Lovekatey, whose real name is Olga Korobitsyna, though the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear. Timati’s former partner Alena Shishkova has denied a romantic link to Durov, stating that their association was never a couple’s relationship. In 2018 she appeared publicly with him on several occasions, including a trip to Paris. Later, Shishkova described those moments as a joke and emphasized that she and Durov were not romantically involved. She noted that he is a very private person who often keeps to himself while working, sometimes choosing silence over dialogue.