Ukraine insists Putin is using at least three body doubles who are kept under guard and prevented from living independent lives
Ukrainian military intelligence has doubled down on claims that Vladimir Putin is using at least three look-alikes.
The Putin actors are closely guarded and “constantly watched” by the Russian secret services and do not have an independent life, according to spokesman Andriy Yusov.
His comments follows accusations this week that the dictator's New Year's speech, which was broadcast across Russia just before midnight, was delivered by an AI Putin.
According to observers, the Russian president's neck appeared out of sync with his body, as if his head was crossed for the televised speech.
'This information [on Vladimir Putin using body doubles] is confirmed by many sources,” Yusov said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes a selfie with an admiring teenager from Dagestan on Wednesday during a visit, days after Wagner's failed coup
It is widely believed that Putin has undergone regular plastic surgery as he has aged since he first became acting president on the last day of 1999.
Kyiv official Anton Gerashchenko posted three images of Putin's chin in March and questioned whether they were of the same man. He taunted, “What's wrong with your chin, Putin?”
This week there were allegations that the dictator's New Year's speech, which was broadcast across Russia just before midnight, was delivered by an AI Putin.
'[It] is no longer some kind of news or something to be proven in the world…
“The technology of doubles has been used before and is being used now, especially by Vladimir Putin and his entourage, people who influence the situation in the Kremlin.”
He appeared to be referring to claims from some Russian sources that Putin is dead and has been replaced by body doubles manipulated by shadowy Kremlin figures led by West-hating Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.
Others believe double counting is being used because Putin is seriously ill or hiding in a bunker, paranoid about his safety.
Yusov's boss lieutenant general. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence service HUR, claimed last year that the real Putin has not been seen since June 2022.
Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Intelligence Service, (photo right)
Yusov said, “We know of at least three” lookalikes, and they were under strict control of the Russian secret services
Yusov said 'we know of at least three' lookalikes, and they were under strict control of the Russian secret services.
“They are under constant surveillance,” he said in an interview.
'These are people who are certainly not their own.
“They are not a few topics that… can be used under certain circumstances to implement different scenarios that are different [power-brokers in the] The Kremlin itself is considering it.
'So it is clear that their fate is, shall we say, unenviable.
'[They undergo] constant training, including operations to comply with a number of general matters [appearance].
'And of course constant total control.'
He denied that the alleged Putin lookalikes are being kept together.
“They are not kept in one place,” he said.
'It is clear that the information on this is extremely closed and has not yet been fully established….
'These are people who are not their own, this is a fact.
“These are people who are certainly not their own,” Yusov said
Yusov warned that they may be thrown out once their roles are over so they cannot talk about how they acted as the real Putin.
'It is also true that they do not live a free life.
'They don't stay together in the same city.
'They don't play tennis, two Putins at the same time.
“They don't drink tea together, well, we don't see a photo like that.”
They were held in 'a very closed regime, under constant surveillance by the Russian special services'.
He warned that they may be thrown out once their role is over so they cannot tell how they acted as the real Putin and fooled millions of ordinary Russians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow
ladimir Putin listens to a question during a press conference with his Finnish counterpart after talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi
They may be paid for playing Putin's role, but they are also kept obedient by 'fear' and 'blackmail' if they step out of line.
The journalist asked, “What happens to them when they become redundant, when they have done their job?”
Yusov said: 'This is a very logical question, and I am sure that each of them has asked himself this many times…
He claimed that “eliminating unnecessary people” was not a problem for Russian special services, especially within Russia
“Of course there are more and more questions like this every month, because sooner or later Putin will leave one way or another,” he said.
A view of a fire burning near a car dealership after a Russian missile attack in Kiev
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after a Russian attack in Kiev, Ukraine
The host asked, “Is a doppelgänger uprising possible?”
He replied: 'Certainly not on his own.
'But they can be used by people who have information about them, yes, that is possible.'
Political analyst and professor Valery Solovey – who insists double counting is being used because the real Putin died in October 2023 – showed videos and photos of Putin in his recent New Year's speech and from the same event in early 2022.
“You can easily see and, more importantly, hear two COMPLETELY different people,” he posted.
The 2022 version appears bloated compared to 2024 Putin.