Russian President Vladimir Putin underwent treatment for advanced cancer in April and survived an assassination attempt in March, Newsweek reported on Thursday, citing US intelligence officials.
The report says US intelligence estimates show that the Russian leader is ill, isolated and increasingly paranoid, making his course in Ukraine unpredictable. The US National Security Council has denied such a report.
Intelligence over Putin’s status is unclear due to his isolation after the invasion of Ukraine, officials said, warning against hasty conclusions or predicting Putin’s death.
Other Russian officials are pushing for power in the Kremlin, feeling that Putin is running out of time, one official said.
The assassination attempt was a “Russian conspiracy” uncovered by Kremlin security, the report said, without giving further details.
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It is also said that the CIA and intelligence agencies of other countries have heard reports of dissatisfaction in the Russian Ministries of Security and that some Russian diplomats want to turn to Western countries.
Putin seemed weak during some public appearances in recent months.
A US intelligence official said a weakened Putin had less power over his subordinates and may be less able to order the use of nuclear weapons, even if he chose to do so.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed all rumors that Putin is ill.
Smoke rose from the city of Severodonetsk during a shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass on May 30, 2022, amid Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. (Aris Messinis / AFP)
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reached its 100th day on Friday as Russian forces struck the Donbass region in a bid to take over the eastern part of the country.
Ukraine said on Wednesday that Russia controls about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbass captured in 2014.
After being pushed back from the capital, Putin’s troops set out to seize eastern Ukraine, sparking terrible warnings that the war could drag on.
Russia’s invasion of its neighbor has killed thousands and forced millions to flee, with eastern Ukraine bearing the brunt of the attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv’s forces were losing up to 100 troops a day.
AFP contributed to this report.
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