'War Criminal' Vladimir Putin 'Mortally Afraid' Of Catching Covid, Reveals Ex-Russian Secret Service Captain
April 4 2023, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Vladimir Putin is "mortally afraid of COVID," RadarOnline.com has learned.
Gleb Karakulov, 35, an ex-captain of the Russian secret service, blasted his former boss as a "war criminal" and claimed that on top of being fearful of catching the potentially fatal virus, deranged Putin, 70, is terrified of being assassinated by a member of his own security team.
Karakulov deflected from his service to Putin and escaped to Istanbul, where he was a safe enough distance from Moscow to make the shocking statement.
The ex-secret service captain said that the 70-year-old was so fearful of an assassination attempt that he often retreated to "his bunker" as he didn't trust his own guards.
Putin's failing health has been a talking point since he ordered the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Karakulov elaborated on drastic measures that Putin took to protect himself from COVID-19 amid rumors that his health was rapidly declining.
"We still have a self-isolating President," Karakulov said of the health safety measures. "We have to observe a strict quarantine for two weeks before any event, even those lasting 15 to 20 minutes."
The former secret service captain claimed that for the past three years, the Kremlin leader has enacted strict health protocols to weaken his chances of catching the virus, which would wreak havoc on his rumored failing immune system.
"There is a pool of employees who have been cleared — who underwent this two-week quarantine," the former secret service boss continued. "They are [considered] ‘clean’ and can work in the same room as Putin."
Most shocking about Karakulov's claims was that they came from Putin's former top-ranking security detail. Karakulov's flip of loyalty gave weight to Putin's paranoia of a possible hit from Moscow's inner circle.
Karakulov slammed the Kremlin and Putin's demand for unwavering loyalty, even in the midst of atrocities in Ukraine.
The ex-captain said that Putin's security detail "call him the Boss" and claimed that they "worship him in every way and only ever talk of him in those terms."
Despite his nickname alluding to a sense of power, Karakulov appeared to see past the Kremlin's smoke and mirrors.
"You mustn’t follow criminal orders and serve this war criminal, Vladimir Putin. And I consider him a war criminal," Karakulov said bluntly of the man he formally swore to protect.