"At Least 3 Body Doubles" Again: Russia's Reaction to the 'Fake Putin Theory'?

Ukraine: "Underwent Plastic Surgery to Look Like Putin"
Kremlin: "No Point in Responding to Nonsense," Dismisses

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bora Lee] The 'Fake Putin Theory,' which claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin has as many as three body doubles, has resurfaced once again. This assertion was made by Ukrainian authorities, who criticized President Putin's tactics as poor. In response, the Kremlin dismissed the claim as "nonsense."

On the 29th of last month (local time), Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate, stated in an interview with the Daily Mail, "Putin is not a fool. However, Russia is using terrible tactics in the war without any logic, which is baffling," adding, "I question whether Putin is still making the key decisions."

He continued, "There have been instances in the past where we spotted Putin's body double appearing at special events. But now, using body doubles has become a routine practice," and asserted the fake Putin theory by saying, "We don't know exactly how many doubles there are, but there are at least three, all of whom have undergone plastic surgery to look similar to Putin."

In response, the Kremlin rejected these Ukrainian speculations. According to TASS news agency, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, was asked to comment on Budanov's remarks on the 31st of last month and retorted, "Is there anything to say about such nonsense?"

The 'Fake Putin Theory' has been persistently raised. As President Putin became embroiled in health rumors, claims emerged that someone resembling him was sent in his place at certain events. In April, speculation ran rampant that body doubles were being used to avoid assassination risks.

In a 2020 interview with TASS, President Putin revealed, "In the early 2000s, when fighting Chechen separatists, the idea of introducing body doubles for personal security was proposed among my close aides, but I rejected it." Spokesperson Peskov also conveyed, "The president is aware of the 'Fake Putin Theory,' but he laughs every time he hears such stories."

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