Rumours have been circulating for months now that the Russian President’s health isn’t as straightforward as the Kremlin tries to claim. Several sources claim that Putin has cancer and Parkinson’s disease. One even claims that Putin will be undergoing surgery soon and has only trusted one person to take over the Ukraine invasion.
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Putin to undergo surgery
A ‘Kremlin insider’ has said that Putin may be forced to give up control of the war in Ukraine as he is allegedly set to have cancer surgery. The claims have come from the popular Telegram channel General SVR, which claims its source is a well-placed figure in the Kremlin.
According to the General SVR source, the Russian President has already delayed his surgery date and it will not take place before May 9, which is Victory Day commemoration of Russia's World War Two victory.
According to General SVR, the original surgery date was scheduled for the second half of April but has been delayed.
The outlet has said:
Putin was recommended to undergo surgery, the date of which is being discussed and agreed,
There seems to be no particular urgency, but it cannot be delayed either.
Who will Putin leave in charge?
The Russian President has allegedly appointed Security Council head and ex-FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev to take charge of the Ukraine invasion while he is incapacitated. Patrushev, 70, is a key figure in the war strategy so far. In fact, he is supposedly the man who convinced Putin that Kyiv is full of neo-Nazis.
This move is surprising as under the constitution if Vladimir Putin is incapacitated, the power should be passed to the Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin. The Russian Prime Minister is a 56-year-old low-profile technocrat with no military or secret service links.
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