Paranoid Vladimir Putin ‘uses a body double’ to evade assassination – World News

Russian President Vladimir Putin is shaken and fears he could be ousted in a coup after he carried out a purge of eight military chiefs for not seizing Ukraine quickly enough

The tyrant Vladimir Putin is so gripped by paranoia that he uses a body double to thwart would-be assassins, it has been claimed.

The Russian leader is shaken and fears the country’s military leaders could stage a coup to overthrow him after he sacked eight generals for failing to seize Ukraine as quickly as originally expected.

The paranoid despot has a double who deputizes for him at Kremlin meetings and is used as a decoy when the man is walking around himself, the Daily Star reports.

The doppelganger even shares the same house as the bully, living in his presidential complex.

Sources suggest that the deputy was even trained to walk in the same manner as the Russian leader.

An intelligence source said Daily Star: “We know that Putin is paranoid about his security, and this move only shows how seriously his team takes the threat to his life.”

They added: “His close protection team ensures his food is checked, no one comes close to him without their consent.

“But the former chiefs of staff, generals and FSB operators will know the vulnerabilities in the system.

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we hear in the next few months that Putin has died and the reason given is a heart attack or a long-term illness.

“I doubt they will admit it was an internal coup.”

It is understood that there is widespread concern among Russia’s top commanders about the direction of the war and the impact on the economy.

The Kremlin has admitted that 15,000 Russians have died.

In the US, White House communications chief Kate Bedingfield said: “We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military, which has led to ongoing tensions between Putin and his military leadership.”

The news comes after “Vladimir Putin’s best” fighters suffered heavy casualties in fierce fighting in Ukraine, it has been reported.

The 331st Guards Parachute Regiment is considered one of the most feared and best-trained in the Russian army, having fought for the Donbass city of Ilovaisk in 2014.

However, the regiment’s commanding officer, Colonel Sergei Sukharev, and deputy major Sergei Krylov were killed in Ukraine on March 13 – a major blow to any military unit.

And there are several startling indications that the war could also take a toll on Putin’s physical health.

The Kremlin has refused to offer an explanation for what experts and investigators say are clear signs his health was deteriorating when he started the war.

In recent public appearances, Putin – known in Russia for his “strongman” image – has appeared “bloated” and noticeably “weakened” compared to previous images.

The dramatic decline in his physical condition has left outsiders wondering if he’s battling a serious illness or even multiple illnesses at once.

Just yesterday, reports emerged that a surgeon specializing in thyroid cancer in “elderly and senile” patients is available to the President.

And in November last year, a Russian political scientist revealed the despot had been stricken with both cancer and Parkinson’s disease, while another source claimed he had undergone surgery for abdominal cancer.

The Parkinson’s theory was reinforced in mid-March when Putin hobbled off the stage after a pro-war rally in Moscow.

The Russian leader’s declining appearance also led analysts to wonder if his “puffy” and “bloated” face was caused by a cocktail of steroids — commonly used to treat cancer.