A high-ranking member of the Ukrainian government isn't buying the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the picture of health these days.
This week, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the Ukraine military's intelligence chief, publicly posited a theory of the Russians using a Putin body double for certain situations.
In a recent interview with a Ukrainian TV channel, Budanov claimed that Putin's appearance (particularly the ears), gait and mannerisms have varied during previous public sightings.
Budanov even asserted that Putin's height has undergone changes in recent months, thus raising Ukraine's suspicions of a Putin body double, according to The Sun.
On TV, Budanov said, "The picture, let's say, of the ears, is different. ... And it's like a fingerprint. Each person's ear picture is unique. It cannot be repeated."
Budanov then added the supposed Putin body double has "different habits, different mannerisms, different gaits ... if you looked closely."
For months, there has been international speculation that Putin is dealing with health issues.
In May, just five days after Putin attended Russia's "Victory Day" parade in Moscow, Newsmax chronicled how New Lines Magazine had apparently obtained an audio recording of an oligarch close to the Kremlin describing Putin as "very ill with blood cancer," without delving into further specifics.
And a month prior, there were reports that Putin was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, although nothing within that realm has been confirmed over the summer.
According to The Sun, Nikolai Patrushev, one of Putin's closest allies, has also "stood in" for the Russian president during his medical appointments.
As for Ukraine's Budanov, his body-double accusation started getting more attention last month.
For Putin's July trip to Tehran, Iran, the Ukrainian intelligence chief noted how the Russian president — or hypothetical body double — "moved unusually quickly" and was more alert in public appearances.
Here's the actual video of Putin deplaning in Tehran that day.
"I will only hint," Budanov said, specifically referencing when Putin got off the presidential plane in Tehran. "Please look at the moment of Putin's exit from the plane. Is it Putin at all?"
Putin's recent Tehran meeting with Iran's leadership, along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, made worldwide headlines for another reason:
It marked just the first time — since the Russia-Ukraine war began — that Putin had traveled abroad, leaving his country's sphere of influence.
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