Rumours over Vladimir Putin's successor remain as the war in Ukraine and speculation about the Russian President's health continues.
Dmitry Kovalev is rumoured to be one potential successor and theories about him surfaced after he was seen talking to Putin during the May 9 victory parade.
Kovalev, 36, is reported to share Putin's love of ice hockey and is employed in an important position in the Kremlin.
Telegram channel Baza reported: "He is in charge of one of the departments of the Presidential Administration.
"There are a lot of hockey photos on Kovalev's page. It is possible that he met Putin due to their common love for the sport. Many people have been reported as being Putin's successors. So here are pictures of another such candidate."
Author of the book Moscow Rules Keir Giles told the Express that a successor could be worse for the West.
He said: "They would make Russia's relationship with the West, and with its own people, even worse than Putin has been doing over the last few years of his reign."
Other potential successors include Nikolai Patrushev, 70, the head of Putin’s security council.
Reports indicated that the eventual death of Putin will lead to a power vacuum, due to the Russian president successfully sweeping away opposition leaders.
Putin has previously said he has thought about his successor and raising a new generation of successors to the dictatorial throne.
In 2021, he told NBC: "You know, I have linked my entire life, my entire fate, to the fate of my country to such an extent that there isn't a more meaningful goal in my life than the strengthening of Russia.
"If anybody else, and if I see that person, even if that person is critical of some areas of what I have been doing, if I can see that this is an individual who has constructive views, that he or she is committed to this country and is prepared to sacrifice his entire life to this country... I will do everything to make sure, that such people will get support."
Millions have now fled and the war is being hushed up in Russia, dubbed a 'special operation' designed to remove Ukrainian 'Nazis' from the government..
Even the death reports have been stamped out and Russia is known for its suppression of free media.
The country's official death toll has remained at 1,351, despite the Kremlin admitting "significant" troop losses.
Ukrainian estimates of 35,000 are likely exaggerated, while British officials put the figure at around 15,000 in April.
The heavy losses have led to recent reports that indicate a grim use of convicts sentenced to less than 20 years or more on the front line. They will receive a payment of £2,800 for fighting against Ukrainian forces and £70,000 paid to a prisoner-soldier's family if they are killed.
A family member of one convict said: "They talked to convicts and asked them to 'defend Motherland’…. My relative was told this: 'It is very hard to find Nazis, they are prepared very well. You will be in vanguard, help find the Nazis - this is why not everyone will return’."
