The Kremlin has made an extraordinary move to deny ‘lies’ that 71-year-old Vladimir Putin ‘died in his luxurious forest palace in Valdia’ – amid claims a ‘coup’ was underway in Moscow.
This comes after a Telegram channel, which for months claimed the Russian leader had cancer and was terminally ill, announced that Putin had died.
It further claimed that a ‘coup’ was underway in Russia as Putin’s inner circle would try to pass off his ‘body double’ as the real president.
But Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media RIA Novosti that the report was an “absurd information canard.”
Earlier this week he had strongly denied that Putin had suffered a heart attack over the weekend, saying reports that the Russian president was using a lookalike were false.
A Telegram channel, which claimed for months that the Russian leader had cancer and was terminally ill, announced that Putin (photo) had died
But Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov (left) told state media RIA Novosti that the report was an “absurd information canard.”
Vladimir Putin’s alleged palace in Valdai, Russia, where a Telegram channel claimed he died
One theory on the Telegram channel is that it is funded by figures once close to Putin who have lost ground, and that the false report is evidence of an intense struggle for power as Russia struggles in its war in Ukraine.
There are claims that elements of the GRU military intelligence may be involved.
The full Telegram message read: “Attention! An attempted coup is currently taking place in Russia!
Russian President Vladimir Putin died this evening at his home in Valdai.
‘At 8.42 pm Moscow time, doctors stopped resuscitation and declared death.
“Now the doctors are locked in the room with Putin’s corpse, they are being held by members of the Presidential Security Service on the personal orders of Dmitry Kochnev (Director of the Federal Guard), who is in contact and receives instructions from the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev.
“Security for the president’s doppelgänger has been improved.
“Active negotiations are underway.
“Any attempt to pose as president after Putin’s death is a coup.”
Nikolai Patrushev, 72, is secretary of Russia’s powerful Security Council and Putin’s top intelligence adviser.
The Telegram channel has claimed he is in pole position to succeed the president, but may want power for his son, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, 46.
The channel has been claiming for months that Putin was ill and was replaced by actors trained by the security services who underwent plastic surgery to resemble the Russian leader.
The same theory has been espoused by Valery Solovey, a former professor at the prestigious Institute of International Relations in Moscow, a training academy for spies and diplomats.
He recently said: ‘The fact is that current President Vladimir Putin is living the last days of his earthly life.’
Nikolai Patrushev (left), 72, is secretary of Russia’s powerful Security Council and Putin’s top intelligence adviser. The Telegram channel has claimed that he is in pole position to succeed the president
But Patrushev may want power for his son, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, 46
“I can tell you that there are no doubles when it comes to work,” spokesman Peskov said earlier this week. Speaking specifically about Putin’s alleged heart problems, Peskov said: “He is doing well – this is just another joke.”
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, has claimed that the real Putin has not been seen since June 2022.
“The one everyone used to know was last seen around June 26, 2022,” he said last month.
A recent Japanese TV report used AI to analyze Putin’s face, walk and voice in multiple appearances, concluding that he is using one and perhaps two body doubles.
“I can tell you that there are no doubles when it comes to work,” spokesman Peskov said earlier this week.
Speaking specifically about the heart problems, Peskov said: ‘He is doing well – this is just another canard.’
The spokesperson said: ‘These types of stories fall into the category of fake news, which a number of media outlets are discussing with enviable tenacity.
“This will bring nothing but a smile (in the Kremlin).”
In April, Peskov admitted that there were many reports of Putin’s doppelgängers, but claimed the warmonger was “mega active.”
“You may have heard that Putin has several lookalikes who work in his place while he is in a bunker,” he said.
‘These are more lies. This is another lie. You see our president. He is still exactly as he was: mega active.’
The channel is believed to be run by a former Kremlin lieutenant general known by the alias Viktor Mikhailovich.
It claims that Putin’s top apparatchiks and security henchmen control the activities of the lookalikes.
It is dismissed by most political analysts as a matter of conspiracy theorists.
The claim comes amid reports that Putin is preparing to announce in a few days that he will run for president in next year’s presidential election, seeking a new six-year term.
Putin is said to share his Valdai Palace with his secret partner Alina Kabaeva, an Olympic gold-winning rhythmic gymnast, and their young family.