The love and split of the Dibrovs

This week, a family saga — of which the entire country became an unwitting witness — (partly) drew to a close. TV host Dmitry Dibrov divorced his wife Polina, whom he met almost 20 years ago in Rostov-on-Don (Russia). He brought her to Moscow, scrubbed off the dust of Rostov, taught her manners, married her, and together they had three children.

But love proved not eternal, and a rival appeared on Dibrov’s path — entrepreneur and father of many children Roman Tovstik. Once she tripped over his billions, Polina Dibrova never regained her balance. Her heart wavered, and with it began to split at the seams what had been built for years. With such a crack that no one in show business stayed on the sidelines. Even Andrey Malakhov dug up the past and, with a sympathetic look, joined in washing their dirty laundry.

To figure out what this even was, we assembled a special explanatory crew and pieced the story back together from scraps.

«I can’t live without you»

Dmitry Dibrov met Polina in 2007, when he was invited to Rostov-on-Don as a judge for the Beauty of the Body contest. The ceremony seemed endless to the 48‑year‑old Dibrov; the contestants’ images began to blur into one. That was until 17‑year‑old Polina Nagradova walked on stage. At a glance, Dibrov understood: she was the one. Later he admitted he saw not a fleeting fling in her, but the future mother of his children.

Wasting no time, Dibrov presented the young woman with a lavish bouquet, showered her with compliments, and invited her to a restaurant. The date unfolded under the watchful supervision of the modeling agency’s director. Polina was not even allowed to leave a phone number, but she memorized his and texted Dmitry first.

At first, Polina’s mother did not believe her daughter was talking to a television star. Soon, however, Dibrov himself began visiting. For the girl’s 18th birthday he prepared a truly fairy‑tale surprise — a trip to the Côte d’Azur and a ring. But instead of surrendering to the charm and pressure, the young Polina, frightened by the seriousness of the relationship, ran away after returning to Moscow. For Dmitry, it was a heavy blow.

Wanting to prove to everyone — including himself — that he could be happy, Dibrov proposed to 23‑year‑old model Alexandra Shevchenko, whom he had met online. Up front, he confessed his feelings for Nagradova, but that did not stop the young woman, and soon the pair officially registered their marriage. The marriage, however, did not last even a year.

After the divorce Dmitry couldn’t stand it and sent Nagradova a laconic message: «I can’t live without you». This time they did not drag out the correspondence and met right away. The now‑grown Polina was no longer frightened by either the 30‑year age difference or her chosen one’s turbulent past.

Defying superstition, they chose the dress together. The wedding was intimate. Soon three sons appeared in their life one after another: Alexander, Fedor and Ilya. For the big family, Dmitry bought a country house, which he named Villa Paulina.

«I washed his socks, ate doshirak»

The story of Roman and Elena Tovstik is a classic Siberian saga of overcoming. Roman, a native of Novosibirsk, built a multibillion business from scratch, co‑owning a company well known in the network‑marketing market for selling supplements and beauty products.

Like Dibrov, Tovstik had a weakness for young women. He met Elena in 2003, when she was 18 and he was 29. Three years later the lovers were officially married. According to Elena herself, she was ready to do anything for her husband, including giving up university.

— I was there when he had neither money nor fame! When we had to start everything from scratch, I left a prestigious university, which I had entered on a state‑funded place on my own, to go after him, choosing him and love, — wrote Elena Tovstik on her social media.

In an interview with Andrey Malakhov, she mentioned more personal and interesting details.

— I washed his socks, ate doshirak — instant noodles, quit my studies, sold an apartment and invested it in the business, — Elena recounted.

During the marriage, Elena and Roman had six children.

The Tovstiks lived not far from the Dibrovs, and the families became close. They celebrated holidays together, went on trips, and Polina Dibrova even became the godmother of one of the Tovstiks’ children. From the outside, their friendship looked like the ideal union of two successful, solid families.

«I realized I was living a lie»

The crisis built slowly. Several years before the final break, mutual friends noted that Polina Dibrova — always active on social networks — began posting photos with her husband less often. Her interests shifted toward her own business and the social scene.

In the summer of 2025, rumors of discord peaked. The most attentive of Dibrova’s followers noticed that neither she nor her husband were wearing wedding rings anymore. Later the family’s lawyers officially confirmed: the Dibrovs had split up.

In an interview with journalist Laura Dzhugeliya, Polina said the boiling point was her realization of her feelings for Roman Tovstik, which, in her words, came during a vacation in the Seychelles with Dibrov.

— I thought about everyone — how to make it easier for Dima, for my parents, because this is a big blow to them. But I realized that I was living a lie, betraying myself — an inner collapse began. After that I took a deep breath and said everything. Roman and I agreed that we needed to resolve all family issues. And if we go through it all with honor and dignity, we will build our life, — said Polina Dibrova.

«The children stay with Polina»

The Dibrovs’ divorce looked like a routine example of a civilized separation. Dmitry put two conditions to Polina for agreeing to a divorce: file the petition in person and explain the situation to the children herself. She agreed.

Property disputes — including the issue of the villa on Rublyovka (wealthy enclave west of Moscow), purchased by Dibrov before the marriage — were settled out of court. The children stayed with their mother, but she will not prevent their father from taking part in their lives.

— The children stay with Polina. The parties have no disputes over the schedule of contact with the children. The property has been divided as they wished. Dmitry’s child support will preserve the children’s accustomed standard of living, — said Polina Dibrova’s lawyer, Irina Kuznetsova.

Dmitry Dibrov himself was clearly very upset by his beloved wife’s departure.

— The stamp of divorce is put in a passport. But no stamp exists in the heart or in the soul, — his lawyer Alexander Dobrovinsky relayed.

«I’m the same child who was abandoned»

While the Dibrovs settled everything amicably, the Tovstik family plunged into a public war. Elena gave an emotional interview to Andrey Malakhov, in which she called her husband’s departure a betrayal. She claimed that Roman offered her an onerous prenuptial agreement, threatening to leave her without money if she refused. Accusations of blackmail and pressure flew — as did talk of odd domestic acts, for example, that Roman took a coffee machine and a piano from the house.

Roman, for his part, initiated a fight over the children, who turned out to be the sorest subject for the family. Despite the fact that two of them live with their father, Roman insists he does not deprive them of meetings with their mother. Elena takes the opposite view, stating that her husband forcibly took the children away from her.

The businessman speaks openly about his feelings. For him, fatherhood is a painfully important topic.

— I’m very attached to the children. Emotional moments with the kids are my foundation. I so enjoy spending time on this! I love putting them to bed — for me it’s a mystical moment. I don’t know whether people will understand or not. I remember when little Artur was born, I would snatch him from the nanny’s and Lena’s hands and go settle him to sleep. The moment when he falls asleep in my arms is mystical to me. I live for it. And of course, I miss all of this, — admitted Roman Tovstik.

His wife’s lawyer, Ekaterina Gordon, does not put much faith in the entrepreneur’s sincerity. According to her, the billionaire put up for sale the house where Elena Tovstik lives with the children.

— Roman, this is the house where your kids live, where Elena lives. And you decided to sell it quietly. Shame, shame, shame. In fact, everything you do smells exactly like that. Pray, repent, and stay within the law, — said Ekaterina Gordon.

Elena Tovstik is sure that their separation happened because people were “getting into his head”.

— There was the influence of girlfriends, of Polina. When my fifth child was born — a blue‑eyed blonde — Polina and her friends told him the child wasn’t his. He even did a genetic test. What man does a genetic test when that child is the spitting image of his grandmother? — the mother of six wonders.

Elena also commented on the fact that once upon a time Roman promised her tenderness and care — words that now mean nothing.

— I’m the same child who was abandoned. I was the seventh child under his wing, the one who was cared for. And now I’ve lost that care, — the woman said sadly.

«Lena is in love, she’s doing fine»

There was hardly anyone left in show business who didn’t put in their two cents on this story. For example, Victoria Bonya supported Elena Tovstik.

— Lena Tovstik faced the fact that she learned her husband of 19 years — with whom she has six children, the youngest just a year old — is sleeping with her best friend, whom she made a godmother, the wife of Dibrov. Dibrov is going through a very difficult period now too — I understand him — but it’s okay, I think he will get through it like a man, — Bonya wrote on social media.

Andrey Malakhov also did not stand aside: he spoke with the main characters of the family drama. In his conversation with the TV host, Polina Dibrova insisted she had nothing to do with it — the Tovstiks would have split up without her — and that the businessman’s wife knew about the crisis in their relationship.

Malakhov drew attention to rumors that Elena Tovstik herself is not alone and has already started a new relationship. The TV host suggested that the publicity around the divorce could have been planned as pressure on the billionaire.

— They say Lena is in love, she’s doing fine — she just doesn’t flaunt it, unlike you and Roman, — Malakhov noted on air.

Now the newly divorced Dmitry Dibrov has returned to work, hosts livestreams and continues his creative activity. Polina is building a new life with Roman, whose divorce proceedings are still underway. The outcome — including the fate of six children and the division of assets — remains unclear, so the end of this story appears not yet to be written.