 After Stalin's death, Svetlana changed her surname from Stalin to Allilueva, and defected to the U.S.

After Nadezdha's death, Stalin became increasingly close to his sister-in-law Zhenya Alliluyeva; Montefiore believed that they were probably lovers.There are unproven rumours that from 1934 onward he had a relationship with his housekeeper Valentina Istomina.Stalin had at least two illegitimate children, although he never recognised them as being his.