"Vision Loss... At Most 3 Years" Putin, Given a 'Terminal Diagnosis'?

Vladimir Putin (right), President of Russia, held a summit with Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, who visited the country, at the residence in the Black Sea coastal resort city of Sochi on the 23rd (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] Amid ongoing rumors about Russian President Vladimir Putin's health issues, claims have emerged that he has been given a terminal diagnosis.

On the 29th (local time), the British daily Daily Mail reported, citing a disclosure from a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) spy, that President Putin's health is so poor that he has been given a terminal prognosis.

According to sources, President Putin recently received a terminal diagnosis from medical staff with a maximum prognosis of three years. An FSB official stated, "Putin's cancer is progressing rapidly," adding, "He only has about 2 to 3 years left to live."

He also revealed that President Putin is losing his eyesight. The source explained, "When President Putin appears at official events, he needs papers with large print for his speech," adding, "The font size is so large that only a few sentences fit on a single sheet of paper." Furthermore, "President Putin's limbs are uncontrollably trembling," the source said.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. Photo by EPA, Yonhap News

According to the report, an agent belonging to the Russian FSB sent a message to Boris Karipichikov, a former FSB agent, stating, "President Putin refuses to wear glasses for fear of admitting his weakness and is currently reprimanding his subordinates with 'uncontrollable anger.'"

This is not the first time rumors about President Putin's health issues have spread. He has previously been embroiled in various health rumors, including Parkinson's disease, Asperger's syndrome, Oman's syndrome, and Lloyd's anger disorder. Recently, foreign media reports have claimed that President Putin is "battling blood cancer" and "recovering from major surgery."

Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister. Photo by AP, Yonhap News

President Putin's recent appearances in the media have also fueled health rumors. On the 23rd, during a summit with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin awkwardly twisted his left foot outward and repeatedly moved it side to side.

At a meeting with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on the 16th, he also twisted his left foot several times as if uncomfortable. Additionally, during the Victory Day parade on the 9th, Putin's unnatural gait was captured by media cameras, showing his right arm almost motionless and awkwardly held close to his body while walking.

However, the Kremlin continues to deny any health issues concerning President Putin. According to AFP and TASS on the 29th (local time), Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov strongly refuted the health rumors in an interview with France's TF1, saying, "Sane people would not say they see signs of illness in this person (President Putin)." He added, "(Putin) appears before the public every day. You can see him on screen and hear everything he says," and concluded, "I leave it to the conscience of those spreading such rumors."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.