A leading Ukrainian doctor has claimed that Vladimir Putin is “mentally ill” and uses three body doubles, adding fresh fuel to long-running rumours about the Russian leader's health.
Dr Yevgen Komarovsky made the remarks in an interview with Fabrik Novyn, saying he sees no obvious physical ailments in the Russian president but raising serious concerns about his mental state.
Claims of Body Doubles and Mental Health Concerns
Speaking to Fabrik Novyn, Dr Komarovsky said: “For a man his age, he’s quite active: he jumps, runs, and can talk for a long time without getting out of breath. I don’t see any obvious physical ailments based on his appearance that could turn him into a 'black swan'. But without a doubt, this man’s mental state raises very serious concerns, and has done so for quite some time.”
The doctor also claimed that Putin lacks access to outside information that Kremlin higher-ups do not want him to have. He said: “If you do it consciously, you are a fool, which is still unlikely. And if you do it unconsciously, then you are objectively deprived of information.”
Background of Rumours
The claims follow years of speculation that the Russian leader died at his Valdai Palace and that his body is being kept in a freezer. The initial report broke in late October 2023, alleging that the then-71-year-old succumbed to a heart attack.
The source of those claims was a Telegram channel called General SVR, believed to be led by a Kremlin insider, which reported that a “coup” was underway to replace Putin. The Kremlin denied the rumours within 48 hours, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling state media RIA Novosti that the report was an “absurd information canard”.
The Telegram channel has continued to make these claims more than three years later, and now Dr Komarovsky has added his own assertions about the Russian president's mental health and the use of body doubles.
