Putin likely has Parkinson’s – his days are numbered & he’ll come to a violent sudden end, warns ex-MI6 chief
SICK Vladimir Putin's "days are numbered" as the tyrant faces being carted off to hospital in a "sudden end" to his rule, the former head of MI6 has warned.
Rumours have swirled for months about the 70-year-old Russian leader's reportedly failing health - fuelled by his bloated face and trembling legs.
Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, told The Sun Online that there is clearly "something wrong with him" - and the most likely explanation is a diagnosis of Parkinson's.
It comes after bombshell spy documents leaked to The Sun Online appeared to confirm he has pancreatic cancer and early-stage Parkinson's disease.
Ukraine previously suggested Russia is using body doubles to stand in for Putin - and earlier this month, the country's spy chief claimed he will “die very soon of cancer”.
The tyrant was also pictured with suspected track marks from IV treatment on the back of his hand - amid rumours he's suffering from cancer and crippling pain.
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Sir Richard warned the "preconditions for his disappearance or collapse" have now been set as the tyrant's shambolic war in Ukraine rumbles on.
The former spy boss also suggested Putin's increased isolation could be linked to his illness.
"My view is there is still something wrong with him, medically," he said.
"I'm not a clinician, but I know a number of people have watched him closely, and they think the most likely explanation is Parkinson's.
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"There's no proof - but he shows quite a lot of the symptoms. If he does have Parkinson's, that can certainly impair your judgement.
"The two favourite medical diagnoses through observing him is either Parkinson's or blood cancer, or maybe both.
"But the Russians will be desperate to make sure Putin's health is a state secret."
As the Russian leader's health reportedly deteriorates, Sir Richard said Putin could be "shuffled" off to a sanitorium - and never reappear.
"It's quite possible they just shuffle him off into a sanitorium and say he's unwell, and then he doesn't reappear," he said.
"Talking to someone from central Europe who I regard as pretty well informed, he said you have the preconditions now for there to be a pretty sudden end to Putin's administration, or to Putin himself.
"It's impossible to say when that is going to happen. He's definitely in a very difficult place - there's no question about that.
"I think you have preconditions for his disappearance or collapse - which could be violent."
Either he gets gently pushed aside and someone close to him takes over, or there's a major political upheaval and there's a real meltdown
Sir Richard Dearlove
Sir Richard said there's "no way" Putin would step aside.
"Either he gets gently pushed aside and someone close to him takes over, or there's a major political upheaval and there's a real meltdown," he said.
"I think both of those things are possible. Things are in a pretty bad state, and he's probably going to lose this war, or come out of it in a position where it looks like he's lost.
"He's got this so wrong, there must be a huge amount of opposition within the Kremlin. If it continues to go badly, I think Putin's days are numbered.
"The more so if he's got a medical problem. How that will happen and when it will happen is entirely guesswork.
"But people who are well informed think he's in a pretty fragile situation."
The former spy chief said the Russian dictator has got himself "deeper and deeper into what looks like an unwinnable war".
Putin is said to be plotting a "dangerous escalation" in the war as the West have been warned over Russia's air-force capabilities.
But Sir Richard warned the tyrant's "days are numbered because of the disastrous war".
He said Putin's options are limited - and a further mobilisation will be hugely unpopular in Russia.
"The Russian military has performed very poorly," he said.
"They expected to walk in Kyiv, knock the regime over, and put in a puppet regime... we know that didn't happen and he's just got himself deeper and deeper into what looks like an unwinnable war.
He suggested said there could be a coup inside the Kremlin to oust Putin - but the mechanisms for political change in Russia are "fragile".
"I think we're heading into another phase where you're going to get a political upheaval as a result of a war gone badly wrong," he said.
"There could be a coup inside the Kremlin.
I think you have preconditions for his disappearance or collapse - which could be violent
Sir Richard Dearlove
"I don't think there will be a popular uprising in Russia, but because of the catastrophic situation they're in, there must be massive tensions in the current leadership."
Despite the Russian front stabilising in Ukraine for now, Sir Richard said the war is still a "disaster".
"More and more intelligent Russians must realise he's in a difficult place - particularly now the West are gearing up to supply tanks," he said.
"There are only two endings possible - one is victory, and the other is compromise. Putin is in a desperate place - but what's he going to do to win it? It's looking pretty dire for him.
"The circumstances will dictate the end of Putin's regime. The preconditions for it ending are already clearly there. I think he's in a catastrophic position already."
Sir Richard also said the danger of the war spilling over still exists - but insisted it's "unlikely".
"NATO will do everything to avoid the risk of a direct conflict," he said.
"On the other hand, the last thing the Russians need is a direct conflict with NATO as well.
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"I think both sides will be very careful to keep the war within the boundaries it's currently contained in - unless Putin does completely lose his marbles and uses a tactical nuclear weapon.
"I think the chances of that are very unlikely. It would be an act of real desperation."
