The murmur is getting louder. There is both anxiety and hope in the political atmosphere of Russia. The eyes of the Western powers are set on Russia. Their aim is to find evidence to confirm their speculations. But is Russian President Vladimir Putin really sick? Is it simply a tactic to confuse the western powers? What is the future of Russia? Know The Fact brings you the story of the current buzz centred around the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

Reports suggesting the ill health of Putin
It has been reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been struck down by a “sharp sickness” and requires “urgent medical assistance” this week. It has been alleged that Putin felt a “sharp sickness, weakness, and dizziness” while getting up from his desk. This reportedly occurred following a 90-minute virtual session with military chiefs.

According to the General SVR
The Telegram channel “General SVR,” which is headed by a former officer from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, has stated the reason for the postponing of the “Direct Line” broadcast. According to the channel, the sudden illness was the actual reason why Putin’s annual “Direct Line” live broadcast had been postponed. The “Direct Line” was a question and answer session where Russian president Vladimir Putin was supposed to take questions from Russian citizens. It had been scheduled for later this June or early July. It is now unclear whether it will take place or not.
According to General SVR, Putin was advised by his doctor “not to make any lengthy public appearances in the near future”. Despite the situation, the Russian President made a rare public appearance in Moscow on June 9th. There he addressed young entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists at an event marking the 350th birth anniversary of Peter the Great.

The second meeting with Sergey Shoigu
Another reason why there is the idea of Putin being sick is due to his changed appearance. Photos from this year do not seem to show him as his usual self. Putin reportedly has a swollen face and an awkward gait. Some sources also claim that he has erratic behaviour. A second meeting between the Russian president, Putin, and his defence minister, Sergey Shoigu, took place in April. In the footage of the meeting, Putin is seen gripping the table in an attempt to remain upright. This indicated that he was trying to steady himself against a tremor or vertigo. People who studied the Shoigu meeting are convinced Putin has Parkinson’s Disease.

Botox?
Some claim that the change in Putin’s appearance is due to fillers or botox, perhaps inspired by his friend Silvio Berlusconi. Others say that it is simply the process of natural ageing. It should be kept in mind that Putin is approaching 70. Among all these opinions, the most popular one is that Putin is seriously ill.

Cancer Diagnosis
According to audio obtained by New Lines, an official close to the Kremlin describes Putin as “very ill with blood cancer”. The type of blood cancer that he was suffering from was not mentioned. In yet another report, an anonymous FSB officer has claimed that Putin has been diagnosed with aggressive liver cancer and has just three years to live.
Newsweek published an exclusive report claiming that American intelligence has concluded that Putin was treated for “advanced cancer” in April this year. Rumours of him suffering from abdominal cancer are also being circulated.

So… is Putin really sick?
Regardless, these allegations have not been confirmed. Access to Putin’s medical charts is known to be difficult. Vladimir Putin’s health is an important subject of discussion inside the Biden administration. In truth, it is impossible to pass a judgement on Putin’s health. The reason is that reliable intelligence about the Kremlin is not much. Prior to this situation, the vast majority of analysts greatly overestimated Russia’s military strength before the Ukraine invasion. Important details about Putin’s private life and regime have always been kept under tight wraps. Journalists and dissidents who attempt to shed light on the regime’s inner workings are murdered. The little amount of credible intelligence that remained has largely evaporated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another reason is Russia’s diplomatic isolation since its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Why is the ill health of Vladimir Putin so important?
Even if Putin’s illness might not be the best explanation for his errors, it can significantly impact the future and create a major impact. Kyiv and its allies cannot ignore the possibility that Putin, in his illness, will continue to make irrational decisions. It could be that he would no longer care about the loss of Russian and Ukrainian life. Another point to be kept in mind is that knowing he will not be alive in the world that follows, he could potentially use nuclear weapons. It is difficult to deal with a delusional person or a sick individual with nothing to lose. And let’s say if Putin is indeed sick, the West has to prepare for the political disturbances that will be caused in Russia upon his death. The closer his death date approaches, the more disparate the military and political outcomes in Ukraine will be. The longer he lives on, the more likely it is that the consolidation of his despotic political order will continue. It is also quite likely that Russia’s isolation from the west will continue.