Ukraine has claimed the Kremlin spread rumors about President Vladimir Putin’s death in order to test his popularity and strengthen his grip on Russia.
A spokesman for the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Andrii Yusov, said the report that Putin had suffered a heart attack, published by the popular Telegram channel General SVR, was all a ruse by Russia, the New York Post reported.
The rumor was “an inside story that it aimed at [the] domestic Russian audience,” Yusov told the Ukrainian outlet Radio NV.
“The basic purpose of fake news is to look at how society reacts in terms of numbers and dynamics, to look at the reactions of individuals, the elite and the media,” he claimed.
“In this way, the empire, which is built on the work of the secret services, learns how to continue to rule,” he said.
The initial reports were published via the Telegram channel ‘General SVR,” reportedly run by a former Kremlin insider.
“Putin’s security officers found him lying on his bedroom floor at around 9 pm, alongside an overturned table with food and drinks,” according to the statement by the channel.
The channel’s statement read, as quoted by Mirror:
“Probably, when the president fell, he hit the table and dishes and knocked them onto the floor, which caused the noise.”
“Putin convulsively arched while lying on the floor, rolling his eyes.”
“The doctors who were on duty at the residence and located in one of the adjacent rooms were immediately called.”
The channel alleged that “the president was moved to a specially equipped room in his residence, where the necessary medical equipment for resuscitation had already been installed,” adding that the president’s condition was “stabilized” and he is “under constant medical supervision.”
It said:
“We have already repeatedly talked about the deterioration of Putin’s health due to oncology and a number of other diseases. This case of cardiac arrest seriously alarmed the president’s inner circle, despite the fact that the attending doctors had already warned that Putin was very ill and was unlikely to live until the end of autumn.
“Recently, all official meetings and events have been conducted by the president’s double. After news of the evening incident, several people close to Putin contacted each other by telephone and agreed to hold consultations on Monday regarding possible actions if the president dies in the coming days.”
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BREAKING NEWS: Vladimir Putin suffered a cardiac arrest yesterday, according to Sky News. Guards found the Russia President on the floor unconscious and resuscitated him.
— Ðoge Hippie (@dogehippie) October 24, 2023
There have been rumors about his declining health due to being terminally ill with cancer for over a year.… pic.twitter.com/rgOYXB5Sh4
Meanwhile, rumors began swirling on X of Putin’s death:
Is Putin dead? pic.twitter.com/EADihPdDEu
— FishingFella (@fishing_fella1) October 23, 2023
Is Putin dead? pic.twitter.com/CZo9DSTmXN
— Chris Zuby (@ChristopherZuby) October 24, 2023
BREAKING RUMOR: Vladimir Putin may be dead
— ℭpirit World Paper (@spiritworldpapr) October 24, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest, heart attack.
President Biden:
"I have to go to the situation room. There's an issue I need to deal with."– Biden at the end of remarks on the economy.… pic.twitter.com/TbrhUM6vOj
READ: “Ukraine is Finished”: Putin Claims Ukraine Lost 90,000 People Since June
