Paranoid & sick Vladimir Putin may ‘already be using body doubles & pre-recorded appearances to hide poor health’

VLADIMIR Putin may already be using body doubles and pre-recorded appearances to hide his poor health, according to reports.

The Russian leader has long been rumoured to be battling illnesses such as cancer and Parkinson's - and even is reported to have recently undergone surgery.

And its now been claimed that Putin could already be using tricks such as pre-recorded appearances and maybe even body doubles to stage manage his health.

Its widely been reported the Kremlin keeps careful tabs on Putin's appearances, and yesterday eagle eyed Russia watchers spotted Vlad appears to be reusing the same "actors" during televised meet and greets.

British intelligence officials said the Russian tyrant's cronies would have to keep his death a secret from the world for weeks - or even months, reports The Daily Star Sunday.

Putin's health has long been the source of speculation and Moscow has remained tight-lipped as over the past few years, insisting Vlad's health is "excellent".

But Western intelligence suggests the Russian president has  - and some of his recent public appearances have sparked further rumours about his physical state.

He has appeared less mobile and his face has been bloated, with experts believing he is taking steroids or receiving cancer treatment.

Putin's drastically changing appearance from strongman to sickly has aroused suspicions he is severely unwell.

An intelligence source said it was likely Putin's recent appearances in public had been pre-recorded.

Alternatively, he could be using a convincing body double taking his place.

And they have suggested it could be "impossible" to know if Putin was already dead due to how carefully his public persona is managed by the Kremlin.

The MI6 source reportedly told : "Putin is very ill and when he dies his death will be kept secret for weeks, if not months."

"It is believed that Putin has employed body doubles in the past when he has been unwell and the Kremlin could be doing so now.

"Putin is the head of a small group of senior officials who are completely loyal to him."

The source added: "The real fear (for his cronies) is that once his death is announced there could be a Kremlin coup and Russian generals will want to withdraw from Ukraine.

"Putin’s death will leave them powerless and vulnerable so they have a vested ­interest in saying that Putin is alive – when the reverse could be true."

Two weeks ago, a Russian oligarch with links to the Kremlin claimed Putin is "very ill with blood cancer" and had surgery before his shambolic invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, an MI6 agent said Putin's rumoured health woes are now causing him to lose his grip on power in the Kremlin.

Christopher Steele claimed the Kremlin is in "increasing disarray and chaos".

Steele, who previously worked the Russia desk at MI6, said Putin has to bow out of meetings to undergo treatment and he was "constantly" being followed around with doctors.

But even when he is present, the renowned control freak provides "no clear political leadership".

It was the Covid pandemic that really flagged up Putin's possible health concerns.

According to The New York Times, Putin imposed strict quarantine measures on anyone who was due to see him in person.

Visitors were forced to isolate for two weeks before their scheduled meeting, before being drenched in disinfectant on the way in.

A specially created tunnel would reportedly spray guests with a sterilising aerosol, while shining UV lights to further sanitise them.

Putin's health has been subject to huge scrutiny in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

Rumours continued to mount after recent military parade when he was seen with a blanket over his legs.

An oncologist said Putin may be suffering from "chemo brain", a cancer-related cognitive impairment brought on by treatment.