'Ill' Vladimir Putin Celebrates Orthodox Christmas Alone, Spotted 'Shuffling' Through Moscow Cathedral Hours After Violating Holiday Truce
Jan. 9 2023, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
An ill-looking Vladimir Putin chose to celebrate Orthodox Christmas alone this year due to mounting assassination fears and growing health concerns, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The 70-year-old Russian leader was spotted in a Moscow cathedral on Friday, January 7, surrounded only by armed bodyguards despite usually celebrating the holiday with fellow worshippers.
Footage of the allegedly sick Russian president showed Putin slowly shuffling down the aisle of the cathedral to attend the service. He was also seen crossing himself during the ceremony while a Russian Orthodox priest led Putin in prayer, according to Daily Star.
The sighting came just hours after Putin ordered a temporary ceasefire between his forces and Ukraine that was set to last from noon on Thursday, January 6 to midnight on January 7.
Despite the temporary holiday truce, Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russian shelling could still be heard in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut mere hours after the 36-hour ceasefire was scheduled to start.
"The occupiers hit the city with rockets twice,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. “They talk about a ceasefire. This is who we are at war with."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Putin’s seemingly worsening condition while attending service on Friday comes after Ukraine’s spy chief revealed the Russian leader will "die very soon of cancer.”
"He is ill long period," Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov told ABC News on January 4. "We think it's cancer. We know it from human sources that are close to Putin."
"This war should be ended before [Putin] is dying," Budanov added.
Putin’s decision to celebrate Orthodox Christmas alone also comes after the leader abruptly canceled a number of high-profile end-of-year events in December over assassination and health concerns.
“In December, following medical recommendations, the president canceled several traditional events and several visits,” said General SVR, a Telegram channel that cited Kremlin sources.
General SVR further claimed Putin suffers from “frequent bouts of dizziness and headaches,” “clouding of consciousness,” and he “gets tired quickly.”
Doctors also reportedly noted “significant deterioration in [Putin’s] health” and urged the Russian despot to step back from a series of previously planned appearances.
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Besides his deteriorating health, Putin has also suffered a series of severe setbacks in Ukraine.
On New Year’s Day, Ukrainian intelligence claimed to have killed 700 Russian soldiers in a missile attack that marked the largest single-day loss for Putin since the war first launched in February 2022.
Reports also suggest Putin has lost more than 3,000 troops since the new year started last weekend.
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