Russian President Vladimir Putin, 69, could be seriously ill, perhaps suffering from terminal cancer or some other malady, according to reports citing a former intelligence officer who now works for the Pentagon.
“The unnamed source is claiming that Putin is suffering from terminal bowel cancer, with his ‘puffy face’ a sign he is enduring chemotherapy or on steroids,” YorkshireLive reported.
“The source says this diagnosis could have encouraged him to be more aggressive and attack Ukraine so he can leave a legacy knowing he is dying, The Daily Star reports,” the piece said. “He added that analysts have been studying Putin who think he has a terminal illness.”
“In the past we have seen him smile, but in 2022 there are few pictures of him looking happy,” the source said. “His look suggests he is in pain and our people suggest his angry look is most likely as a result of him being in agony. Our people are confident he is ill – he is concerned about COVID as he keeps his staff at a distance.”
The Daily Star reported that retired British Royal Navy Admiral Chris Parry suggested Putin is “a man in a hurry,” adding that an alleged terminal illness could explain his invasion of Ukraine.
“He has been using these very long tables to interview people,” Parry told the U.K. paper. “I think his immune system might be suppressed at the moment. So he is a man in a hurry.”
The Star cited the Pentagon employee.
An ex-military intelligence officer now working at the Pentagon said analysts have been studying Putin, 69, and believe he is gravely ill.
The source said: “In the past we have seen him smile, but in 2022 there are few pictures of him looking happy.
“His look suggests he is in pain and our people suggest his angry look is most likely as a result of him being in agony.
The Sun, another U.K. paper, weighed in with a piece headlined: “MAD VLAD — Five clues ‘bloated and unhinged’ Putin could be seriously ill.”
Political scientist Valery Solovei has previously claimed Putin has cancer as well as symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. He claimed the Kremlin boss had emergency surgery in February 2020. Speaking that year, Prof Solovei said of Putin’s twin health traumas: “One is of psycho-neurological nature, the other is a cancer problem. If anyone is interested in the exact diagnosis, I’m not a doctor, and I have no ethical right to reveal these problems.”
”The second diagnosis is a lot, lot more dangerous than the first named diagnosis as Parkinson’s does not threaten physical state, but just limits public appearances. But there is a fatal diagnosis. Based on this information people will be able to make a conclusion about his life horizon, which wouldn’t even require specialist medical education.”