Vladimir Putin is allegedly waiting for a backup if he is unable to fulfill his obligations.
It is claimed that during a recent trip to the far east of the country, the Russian president complained to doctors about fatigue and shortness of breath.
He is currently overseeing the East 2022 war games taking place in the Pacific Ocean, a mammoth journey that has seen him make a pit stop on the Kamchatka Peninsula after reportedly encountering medical setbacks.
While there he gave another long speech and was seen clutching his chair and apparently looking noticeably bad spoke at the conference of young ecologists.
A few days before that, Putin was spotted jerking his leg and squirming uncomfortably in his chair while talking to schoolchildren.
The General SVR Telegram channel, which has long claimed Putin is suffering from serious health problems, says the president made the trip despite his deteriorating condition and has a doppelganger on hand in case things take a turn for the worse.
“Even before the flight to Kamchatka, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s kidney problems worsened, facial swelling appeared, [and] “bags” under the eyes clearly appeared,” the TV channel reports.
“Despite the use of medication, there was no obvious improvement.
“After arriving in Kamchatka, Putin complained to the doctor about fatigue and shortness of breath.
“But the president still decided to participate in the planned events.
‘[A] the president’s double is ready to help.”
A Telegram channel believed to be owned by exiled Kremlin general Viktor Mikhailovich claims to have insider information on Putin’s condition, but has yet to offer any concrete evidence.
However, they are not the only source who claims that Putin has doppelgangers on standby.
Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, Major General Kiryla Budanov, also recently said he uses doppelgangers and may have even used them during a recent meeting with Turkish President Erdogan in Tehran.
Mr. Budanov cited the shape of Putin’s ears, which he claimed had changed over the years, as evidence for his theory, as well as his height and awkward demeanor when addressing world leaders.
However, CIA Director William Burns denied these claims and said there is no clear evidence that Putin is seriously ill.
Putin, who was also recently spotted limping and a “shallow” right handsince 2012 there have been five known medical disappearances, including in February 2018 when he went missing in the midst of an election campaign while suffering from a “cold”.
However, Kremlin officials deny that he has health problems.
Two years ago, Putin confirmed that officials had at one point considered the use of doppelgangers, but claimed that the idea was ultimately rejected.
“I rejected the idea of understudies,” he said.
In the early 2000s, when Russia suffered terrorist attacks, he was advised that a doppelganger should take his place at events where the head of state might be in danger, he said.
“This was at the most difficult time in our war on terror,” he said.
The East 2022 exercise — thousands of miles from the conflict in Europe — involves the deployment of 5,000 military vehicles, 140 aircraft, 60 warships and about 50,000 military personnel.
The purpose of the exercises in the Pacific Ocean is to show the joint determination of Moscow and Beijing to confront the West, and to include other “allies” such as India – to America’s chagrin – and Mongolia, as well as China.
The drills cover Russia’s apparent irritation at China’s lack of more concrete military and technical support in the Ukrainian conflict.
The West has noted that Russia has deployed fewer troops than usual for exercises in the Pacific Ocean this year.
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Putin has ‘doppelgänger on standby’ in case he’s unable to make engagements
