Vladimir Putin is under the influence of strong drugs, a Russian political scientist has claimed.
The Russian leader, 70, is said to be on “very strong stimulants" amid setbacks in his health.
It is alleged by Valery Solovey that the dictator is being treated for cancer and neurological issues.
He is said to be dealing with significant weight loss and making little improvements, leaving the tyrant “very upset” and “absolutely depressed”.
Solovey - a former professor at Moscow’s prestigious Institute of International Relations [MGIMO], a training school for spies and diplomats - has long claimed Putin is seriously ill.
He told Interviewer Dmitry Gordon, a leading Ukrainian journalist, that Putin had appeared “very unwell” at a meeting with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov a fortnight ago.
The camera appeared to limit the footage of a pale Putin who was seen gripping his desk.
Solovey said: “You should watch, if you see how the real Putin walks, you'll notice that his legs became more like matches."
It is alleged his nurses have used cotton padding to hide his extreme weight loss.
“He lost a lot of weight - but you can't do that with the legs.
“And his body double is distinguished by the angularity of his face.
“That's related to his [the doppelgänger’s] kidney problems."
Solovey further claimed the Russian President is on drugs as he gone to desperate measures to try to appear not as unwell.
“When he makes public appearances [Putin] is ‘high on speed’ as young people put it - very strong stimulants,” he said.
His “eyes are shining, and the brain falls behind [his] tongue”.
Solovey - who claims to have sources close to Putin - said the Kremlin leader needed intense preparation to be fit for Chinese president Xi Jinping’s recent state visit to Russia.
“Doctors were preparing him for the meeting with Xi Jinping for two-or-three days", he said.
“It was necessary to rest, to receive certain medications to be able to ‘last’ three-or-four hours of negotiations and to look convincing.
“But Xi Jinping cannot be fooled.
Solovey claimed that Chinese and Israeli doctors are also helping to treat Putin.
He added: “[These are] the two main countries which take part in terms of medicine.
“Israelis are involved mainly in the treatment of oncology, and the Chinese are dealing with neurology.
“So they have quite a good understanding of his condition.”
His claims came as Telegram channel General SVR said Putin’s latest medical examination had shown little improvement after cancer therapy in early March.
The channel said: “The doctors tried to soften the news about the lack of positive results in a conversation with Putin, but they did not do very well."
“The President realised that, apparently, there is no need to wait for improvements and was very upset by this.
“The doctors explained that this was not yet a disaster, it was possible and necessary to fight, but Putin's mood was already spoiled, he looked absolutely depressed."
The channel further claimed the President is due for another large examination in April to establish a new treatment strategy.
The period before Xi’s arrival in Moscow saw an unusually high number of rumours that Putin had used a body double on visits.
Putin recently revealed he is now often living in a flat in the Kremlin rather than his several official residences and palaces.
