Does Vladimir Putin use a body double?

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been accused of using a body double after people analyse a recent outing in public.

The warmongering leader was seen in a rare moment interacting with crowds, taking photos and even kissing the forehead of a teenage girl in Derbent.

But, footage of the event has reignited rumours that Putin is using a body double.

Does Putin use a body double?

Body double rumours around Putin have been circulating for years, with some people pointing to the so-called “evidence” lying in the ears.

Ukraine's head of military intelligence, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, told the Daily Mail he believes there are at least three body doubles for Putin who have “all had plastic surgery to look alike”.

He said: “We know specifically about three people that keep appearing, but how many there are, we don't know.”

Budanov added: “The one thing that gives them away is their height. It’s visible in videos and pictures. Also gesturing, body language, and earlobes, since they are unique for every person.”

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Did Putin use a body double in his recent appearance?

Putin’s recent public appearance in Derbent was seen as wildly out of character for the Russian, whose grip on leadership almost took a hit after an attempted coup by Wagner mercenaries.

He is rarely seen interacting with the Russian public, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, so his latest outing has caused rumours to swirl once more.

According to the Daily Mail, a Moscow diplomat said: “It is getting impossible to believe that there is only one Putin. There are several - very good lookalikes, yet they behave somewhat differently.

“This one diving into the crowd in Dagestan behaves differently to the traditional Putin.”

Another questioned why it was only weeks ago that he was meeting visitors in the Kremlin only after they had quarantined for two weeks, yet now he was amongst the crowds.

Viktor Alksnis, a former Soviet Air Force colonel and politician who is now based in the West, asked: “Why is Putin meeting with visitors in the Kremlin after their two-week quarantine and at a great distance, while in Derbent is calmly into the crowd and even hugs and kisses some citizens?

“How can the physical security of the president be ensured under such conditions? Something is not right here. It looks like a theatrical production in which Putin is not really Putin.”

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