Vladimir Putin may have waged war in Ukraine due to cancer-related cognitive impairment, an oncologist has claimed.
In the latest of many claims about the ill-health of the Kremlin leader, reports suggest he is suffering from cancer and undergoing chemotherapy and steroid treatment.
Other reports suggest Putin is suffering from Parkinson's or early-stage dementia, but numerous experts believe he may have started cancer treatment before the war began, and so he is suffering from the effects of chemotherapy.
The condition is officially called cancer-related cognitive impairment and causes the patient to "lose focus" and struggle to remember simple things.
It can also give people the ability to make "crazy" decisions without cogently thinking them through.
The Kremlin has publicly declared that Putin is fit and well but his strict coronavirus precautions, such as the use of the long table to meet world leaders, have led people to believe otherwise.
The Russian warmonger has been seen in broadcasts looking puffy, slurring his words, appearing restless and finding it hard to stand.
One oncologist who spoke on condition of anonymity said that affects eight in 10 people with cancer to differing extents.
She continued: "For some it's simply knocking into things, being a bit clumsier and forgetting names, places and faces.
"But in others, it can seriously affect executive functions, like making plans for the future, multi-tasking and thinking about the consequences before doing something major.
"It can also lead a much shorter attention span, and losing focus on tasks - especially if you are having to deal with many things at once and are in a position of some responsibility."
She said his puffy face likely indicates water retention caused by steroids and chemotherapy drugs.
The doctor also said that he is not focusing clearly, "he is struggling for balance and appearing to lose focus, all indicative of chemo brain".
According to the NHS, chemotherapy can cause a "change in your thinking processes", thus causing "difficulty with concentrating or with remembering things".
It states: "People often describe being in a 'mental fog' or even slightly detached from the world around them."
Major General Kyrylo Budanov, a Ukrainian army boss, has claimed that Putin is in a "very bad psychological and physical condition and he is very sick."
He said: "It's my job, it's my work, if not me who will know this."
His remarks came as unconfirmed claims from the General SVR Telegram channel said that Putin may soon vanish so he can undergo surgery linked to cancer.
