Rumors about Putin’s health circulating in Europe

Rumors regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health are circulating in the European press; The Guardian states that according to “unconfirmed and unverified reports”, he suffers from cancer or Parkinson’s disease.

It is also said that the Russian leader “survived an attempted coup or, as some tabloids think, he already died and was replaced by a body double.”

But, the paper says, it is perhaps just wishful thinking for Putin’s many detractors who seem willing to embrace the conspiracy theories of divine vengeance or palace coups for his relentless assault on Ukraine.

Guardian quotes an interview by Sergei Lavrov from Russia, where the foreign minister was forced to deny speculation that Putin was sick or dying.

“President Vladimir Putin appears in public every day,” Lavrov said in an interview with French television.

“You can watch him on screens, read and listen to his performances. I don’t think that sane people can see signs of some kind of illness or poor health.”

On Monday, Putin held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and chaired a meeting of his Security Council.

Both meetings reportedly took place remotely.

Last week, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said he believed that Putin was critically ill and had survived a recent coup attempt, saying only that the suspected assailants came from the Caucasus.

A report from the Proekt investigation website said that Putin is suspected to have thyroid cancer or another disease.

The report was based on the disclosure of travel documents showing that Putin had received regular visits from an oncologist and two otolaryngologists whom the outlet said would often make the first diagnosis of a thyroid condition.

The Kremlin did not confirm any report about Putin’s health, claiming that the Russian leader is in very good health.