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Does Vladimir Putin have cancer? The British Yellow Press suspects this, based on data searches by Russian journalists.
Moscow/London – What would a way out of the war in Ukraine look like? Concrete scenarios are also lacking in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. One or two contemporaries can expect even more of Vladimir Putin’s resignation. Not only – but at the forefront – declared US President Joe Biden.
Vladimir Putin: Thyroid Cancer? Russian investigative media publishes research
On Friday (April 1) the British media raised hopes like this: with the thesis that Putin is not only regularly surrounded by several doctors, but may even suffer from “thyroid cancer”. The Kyiv Independent took up the matter, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov apparently felt compelled to deny it when questioned by a well-known Russian journalist.
However, reports should be treated with caution. Not only that, in view of the conflict in Ukraine, desire could be the father of the idea in the West and Ukraine: so far, it has mostly been the notorious yellow British press that has indulged in speculation. However, the author is investigative medium Proekt, which is blocked in Russia and received the “Free Media Award” from the Zeit Foundation in 2020. However, this formulates its findings a little more cautiously.
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Cancer in Putin? Website reviews doctor visits in Sochi – allegedly cancer specialist there
Proekt bases his research on data – as well as information from a source at a “VIP clinic” in Krylatskoe, near Moscow. In Krylatskoe there is a Putin’s “department of personal doctors”, the informant is reported to have reported to the medium. Most of the time, however, doctors traveled to see Putin: publicly available contracts showed that, for example, in 2016/2017, an average of four to five doctors traveled to Putin’s stays at the Sochi holiday resort. At other times, however, that number has increased “dramatically” – at the same time, the researchers pointed to a potentially significant selection of medical experts.
Relaxation near Sochi? Vladimir Putin (right) welcomes Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko on his yacht in the Black Sea in May 2021. © Sergei Ilyin/Kremlin Pool/Imago
A presumably explosive thesis by the authors of the article: within four years, cancer surgeon Evgeny Selivanov flew to see Putin 35 times and spent a total of 166 days in the Russian president’s circle – also during a phase in 2017 when Putin was out of touch. The public eye had long disappeared. Ear, nose and throat doctors Igor Esakov and Alexei Shcheglow traveled to Putin even more often. All three have been together in Sochi at least 18 times.
Vladimir Putin: suspected cancer – Yellow Press draws research conclusions
However, Proekt’s conclusions, which are only suggested, should be placed in the realm of speculation: thyroid diseases, including thyroid cancer, are diagnosed primarily by ENT physicians, writes the psychic, quoting Israeli expert Michael Fremderman. In July 2020, Putin also spoke with Ivan Dedov, head of the National Research Center, about thyroid cancer and subsequent hormone medication.
At the same time, the authors refer to an indisputable fact: Putin has recently isolated himself and shown to keep his distance from interlocutors – for example, during conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The reason is the fear of a corona infection. Recently, Putin’s public appearances have been rare. A surprising exception was a speech at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
However, in “medical circles” there is another thesis, as Proekt writes, citing an acquaintance of a chief physician at one of the hospitals allegedly involved: the belief that Putin underwent complicated treatment as a result of a thyroid disease. From this report and the supposed presence of a cancer expert, the British media in particular concluded that Putin may have or may have suffered from thyroid cancer.
Sick Putin? Kremlin spokesperson denies according to “Pravda” – rumors also about “steroid craze”
The Kremlin has denied the reports, according to Pravda. The newspaper quoted Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of the now-defunct radio station Echo Moscow. “When I was asked, ‘Do I understand correctly that Vladimir Putin does not have cancer?’ Peskov replied: ‘You have,'” wrote Venediktov on his Telegram channel.
However, the speculation quickly became hotly debated on social media. Under a post in the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent, a person who claims to have survived thyroid cancer said: the type of cancer is the one with a good chance of recovery. At the same time, the thesis could explain a lot: “Thyroid hormones that are out of balance can trigger temporary psychoses until they stabilize again.” of a steroid-induced “madness”.
Russia in the Ukraine War: Putin’s Health Always a Subject of Speculation
In its research, the Russian investigative outlet also referred to a history of hidden health problems for Putin: the longtime president fell off his horse around 2012, as reported by an “acquaintance”. The Kremlin then stopped video recordings of a flower-laying ceremony with Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, a key Putin domestic ally – the reason being that Putin was visibly limping. As a result, only photos were allowed to be distributed. However, a video was made public:
Proekt also noted other events of Putin’s “disappearance” from public view. In March 2015, for example, only “recorded meetings” of the president were released, and in August 2017, the Kremlin distributed only “canned” photos for a week. When Putin canceled several appearances during the election campaign in February 2018, spokesman Peskov admitted that he had “a bad cold”. The subtext is likely that the Kremlin’s statements about Putin’s health problems should not be trusted.
Putin’s cancer reports are not a new phenomenon. Valery Solowei, a prominent Putin critic, told the British Daily Mail in late 2020 that Putin had undergone surgery for this reason. However, Solowei cannot be considered a reliable source either. At the same time, another thesis of the Kremlin critic has already been invalidated: he reported at the time that Putin was planning his resignation in early 2021 and had in mind his daughter Katerina Tikhonova as his successor. This thesis did not come true. Even more, however, Putin seems to be pursuing the goal of erecting a geopolitical monument. (fn)