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Putin has cancer, survived assassination attempt: report

American intelligence officials say that Russian president received treatment for advanced cancer in recent months.

By World Israel News Staff

Russian President Vladimir Putin underwent treatment for advanced cancer as recently as this April, according to a classified U.S. intelligence report leaked to Newsweek.

The outlet also reported that Putin survived an assassination attempt in March, which was said to have originated from the Caucasus Mountain region.

“Putin’s grip is strong but no longer absolute,” a senior U.S. intelligence official told Newsweek.

“The jockeying inside the Kremlin has never been more intense during his rule, everyone sensing that the end is near.”

But the intelligence officials acknowledged that the speculation over Putin’s health could be a case of “wishful thinking.”

Previous American intelligence about Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and terrorist Osama bin Laden being terminally ill turned out to be false.

“Is Putin sick? Absolutely. But we shouldn’t let waiting for his death drive proactive actions on our part,” an intelligence official told Newsweek.

“A power vacuum after Putin could be very dangerous for the world.”

Several of the officials cited Putin’s decision to keep physical distance from French president Emmanuel Macron during his February 2022 visit to Moscow — which saw Macron seated at the opposite end of a long table, as far as possible away from Putin — as evidence of Putin’s physical decline and paranoia about his health.

However, some have said that the distance was not related to health concerns, but rather an intentional decision Putin made to visually demonstrate his distrust of Macron and the West.

Just ten days later, Putin warmly embraced Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro when he visited Moscow, and seated the man directly next to him in a meeting.

Two months earlier, in December 2021, Putin hugged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to New Delhi.

In October 2021, Putin shook hands with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett when he visited Russia, and touched Bennett’s arm throughout the trip.