Speculation around Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health intensified since the Ukraine war began, as the Russian leader appeared frail at public events including at the Victory Day celebrations held recently.
At the event, Putin had a thick green cover draped over his legs as he sat among WWII veterans and senior dignitaries to watch the military parade in Moscow’s Red Square.
Putin was also spotted coughing and was the only person among his group who covered up more to combat the relatively mild, by Russian standards, 9-degree weather.
A former British spy opined that ‘It’s not clear exactly what this illness is – whether it’s incurable or terminal, or whatever. But certainly, I think it’s part of the equation.’
Meanwhile, an oligarch with close ties to the Russian leader has reportedly been recorded as saying ‘Putin is very ill with blood cancer,’ according to a report by the New Lines Magazine. The magazine obtained the secret recording in which Putin’s health was allegedly discussed.
The Russian oligarch said the President has ‘gone crazy’ and that he had had surgery on his back linked to the cancer shortly before ordering the invasion of Ukraine.
‘We all hope that Mr. Putin dies. He absolutely ruined Russia’s economy, Ukraine’s economy and many other economies – ruined absolutely,’ the oligarch is said to have added ‘The problem is with his head. One crazy guy can turn the world upside down.’
The name of the oligarch has been kept anonymous,
A top Ukrainian military official has also claimed the Kremlin leader has cancer and other ailments, even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had reached a ‘dead end’ in the conflict.
The presidents optimistic words came as Russian troops are retreated from Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city,