- A Ukrainian intelligence official told USA Today that Russian President Vladimir Putin has only two years to live.
- Maj. Gen. Kyrylo O. Budanov told USA Today that Putin is dealing with several "grave" illnesses.
- Budanov did not provide any specific evidence of his claims.
In a rare disclosure, a Ukrainian top intelligence official said spies inside the Kremlin have said Russian President Vladimir Putin is suffering from several "grave" illnesses and "doesn't have a long life ahead of him."
In an interview with USA Today published Saturday, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo O. Budanov told the paper that he expects Putin to die from these illnesses in the next two years. However, Budanov did not provide specific evidence to back up his claims.
Last month, Budanov also told Sky News that Putin had cancer. Putin's health has been a topic of interest for years, but especially in the months after Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine. Speculations that the Russian leader was sick have circulated in recent months, but reports have been difficult to confirm.
AFP reported that the last time the Kremlin confirmed Putin was sick was in 2012 after he disappeared from public view and canceled several meetings.
In recent months, the Kremlin has denied reports that Putin is dealing with any serious health problems. These concerns come as Putin is expected to hold on to power despite rumblings of an alleged coup inside the Kremlin, Insider previously reported.
