10 October 2023 , 11:57
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Russian leader Vladimir Putin is close to death following a "sharp deterioration" in his health, a controversial Telegram channel claims.
Having previously alleged that the president was terminally ill it now says his death is “imminent”. And the multiple appearances in recent weeks have all been by one or more doppelgängers, states General SVR channel, as the real Putin is too ill to conduct public meetings.
It also predicts that the body double will continue in power after Putin dies, so as to hide his demise from ordinary Russians. But his warring aides disagree on who should control the body doubles, lookalikes who have been trained by his FSO secret service as stand-ins for the ‘ailing’ leader.
While Putin, 71, has not nominated an heir, the "main contender for seizing power” is his top security aide and former FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev, 72, a hardline war-monger. The theory that Putin is close to death is backed by Russian political analyst Dr Valery Solovey who forecast on camera that the dictator’s birthday at the weekend - his 71st - will be his last.
Putin is using body doubles (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)“The attending doctors predict Putin's imminent death amid a sharp deterioration in his health,” posted the Telegram channel. “In the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a fuss began with an attempt to create a consensus around the idea of the continuation of the existence of the Putin regime after Putin.
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“There is a general understanding that for some time it is possible to use a double of the president after the death or removal from power of the real Vladimir Putin. Almost all interested parties are ready to rally around a double who can be controlled.
“The only problem is who will control the double, and this requires mutual trust, which simply does not exist.” According to this version - for which the channel gives no hard proof - Putin’s friends favour Patrushev, who earlier angled for his agriculture minister son Dmitry Patrushev, 45, to be the long-term successor.
The unknown factor is the position of the “security bloc” which may not want Patrushev senior. Some big players are seeking “guarantees” on their future under a new regime. The constitutional position is that if Putin dies in office, he is replaced for three months by the prime minister, colourless technocrat Mikhail Mishustin, 57, who would become acting president.
“Putin himself refused to leave any instructions or covenants on what to do after him, preferring to withdraw into himself, and perhaps deciding that the chaos after him is the best legacy,” said the channel. “Be that as it may, the end will come very soon. Power in Russia in a crisis situation traditionally goes to the one who turns out to be the most daring.”
Patrushev - who knows the real state of Putin’s health - was one of a small group allowed to congratulate him on his 71st birthday, but he was too weak to open many presents, claimed the channel. Solovey said that Putin’s real age is two years older but this has been hidden.
A recent major speech to the Valdai Forum when Putin threatened the West with nuclear weapons was not him but the doppelganger, he said even though it was delivered with the dictator’s “inflamed consciousness".
He claimed this birthday would be his last. “This news is very simple,” he said. “I hope it will be received positively by many, although not by everyone. This is his last birthday on our sinful earth.”