Former Russian MP Accuses Vladimir Putin of Spreading Rumors About His Failing Health and Body Doubles

A former Russian member of state has accused Vladimir Putin of starting rumors about his health and is using body doubles as a defense tactic, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Last year, it was rumored that Putin's health was rapidly deteriorating due to Parkinson's and cancer. It was then alleged that he suffered a heart attack, and the Kremlin utilized body doubles in his absence.

Now, former MP Ilya Ponomarev, who leads a unit of pro-Ukrainian guerrilla fighters, has claimed those rumors were the work of none other than Putin, 71, himself.

Ponomarev, 48, alleged that an extremely paranoid Putin spread misinformation about his wellbeing and whereabouts due to fears surrounding his leadership and the upcoming Russian presidential election in March.

"I don’t believe in the doubles as I believe they are spread by Putin himself," Ponomarev said, per The Sun.

The former MP further claimed that Putin's cronies are aware of his alleged lies and helped spread misinformation to conceal accurate information on his whereabouts.

"It is the same about [his] health. I believe they are deliberately spreading rumors like ‘he is almost dying,'" Ponomarev noted, while adding that rumors also cast doubt among Russian citizens in the case of an actual health emergency.

"So when it comes to a real problem - no one will believe it," the ex-MP stated.

As for rumors surrounding the 71-year-old leader using body doubles, Ponomarev claimed these alleged lies were put forward to discourage potential assassinations because they would be "pointless."

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"When you believe there are a lot of doubles then you don’t know who to attack.... an attack on Putin is pointless [if] you don’t know who you will kill," Ponomarev told the outlet.

While Ponomarev alleged that Putin started the rumors out of paranoia and fear of being assassinated, he does not believe Putin's health is in good standing and would likely die soon.

"He could die in five years, three years, could be seven years, we shouldn’t make bets based on that, if God decides then that’s good. He is a spider that sits in the middle of the web and all the elements of the web are interested in keeping him alive."

Rumors of Putin's failing health and body doubles widely circulated in 2023 and sparked scrutiny over the warmonger's body language and speeches during televised and public events.

A Russian Telegram channel frequently detailed alleged insider information about Putin's health and even alleged death, including rumors that his body was being stored at his woodland fortress, Valdai, where his rumored girlfriend was also being kept under strict watch and house arrest.