According to a new report, the US intelligence services assume that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health is suffering and that he is being treated for cancer.
The assessment, which Newsweek attributes to senior officials from three different intelligence agencies, comes after months of speculation that the Russian strongman has terminal illnesses.
“Putin is definitely ill,” an official at the office of the director of national intelligence told the outlet, noting “whether he will die soon is pure speculation.”
Two other officials — one from the Defense Intelligence Agency and a retired Air Force officer — also said they have access to a full intelligence assessment of Putin’s health and said the outlook for the Russian leader was bleak, according to the report.
The assessment supports the theory that Putin was absent from the world stage for much of April while undergoing treatment for advanced cancer, the report said.
“Is Putin sick? Absolutely,” said the retired Air Force officer. “But we shouldn’t let waiting for his death lead to proactive measures on our part. A post-Putin power vacuum could be very dangerous for the world.”
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow, Russia April 21, 2022.Russian Presidential Press Service/Kremlin/Handout via REUTERS
Intelligence agencies also reportedly believe that Putin is increasingly paranoid about staying in power – and that he may have survived an assassination attempt in March.
“Putin’s grip is strong, but no longer absolute,” said one of the senior intelligence officers. “The scramble in the Kremlin has never been so intense during his rule, everyone felt that the end was near.”
Officials also warned that access to credible intelligence agencies has become more difficult as Putin becomes increasingly isolated.
“One source of our best intelligence, contact with outsiders, has largely dried up as a result of the Ukraine war,” the senior DIA official said, noting that Putin has fewer meetings with foreign leaders, so there are fewer opportunities to learn about his Condition.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting via video conference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia on Tuesday, April 5, 2022.Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
“We need to be aware of the influence of wishful thinking,” said the retired Air Force leader.
Still, the sources said that after a TV appearance in April – in which the Russian leader awkwardly clutched a table during a meeting with his defense minister – the intelligence community told the White House that Putin was ill and most likely dying.
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Rumors of Putin’s impending death have been reported since the early days of his invasion of Ukraine.
In early April, Russian investigative journalism The Project reported that Putin was quite ill and was receiving regular visits from a well-known Russian oncologist.
US intelligence agencies believe Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health is suffering. AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko
This report was followed by several reports, some from Telegram channels allegedly linked to Kremlin dissidents, that the ex-KGB man was undergoing various surgeries or was looking for a potential successor.
Regardless of Putin’s health, the DIA official warned against underestimating the Russian president.
“He’s still dangerous, and if he dies, he’s in for chaos. That’s what we need to focus on. Be ready,” he said.