Putin's alleged body double: Plastic surgeon weighs in

Russian professor Valery Solovyov claims that due to a terminal illness, Vladimir Putin, who hasn't appeared publicly since early 2022, has a body double, and he predicts Putin's imminent passing, igniting global interest, amid ongoing speculation about the Russian president's health since the 2022 Ukraine invasion.

During an interview with a Russian opposition YouTube channel, Solovyov, a Russian professor specializing in international relations, made this startling claim. He asserted, "Vladimir Putin has a body double due to a terminal illness, and he hasn't made a public appearance since the beginning of 2022."

Solovyov has taken his assertions to the next level by suggesting that the Russian president's demise is imminent. He boldly declared, "Once Putin passes away, the world will be notified within a matter of hours. Numerous parties, both inside Russia and beyond, are eagerly awaiting this information." He went on to say, "It will happen before the end of autumn."

Speculation about Putin's declining health has been persistent since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite rumors of cancer or Parkinson's disease, the Kremlin consistently asserted that the president was in "excellent health."

Earlier this week, Ukrainian plastic surgeon Dmitri Slusser discussed the possibility of Vladimir Putin having a body double in an interview with Turkish TV network Kanal24. Slusser noted the growing acceptance of this idea, highlighting instances of apparent immobility in Putin's left or right arm, including a video from Tehran in July 2022.