An anonymous Telegram channel, believed to be run by a former Kremlin insider, has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered a "cardiac arrest" in his private Moscow apartment.
The report has not been independently verified and is based solely on this anonymous source, yet several media outlets have published the story. Daily Star, The Mirror, Express are just a few that published the story today. A few days ago, the same Telegram channel reported that Putin was near death and had designated his successor
The incident: What allegedly happened?
According to the Telegram channel General SVR, Putin was found by his security guards "lying on the floor, rolling his eyes" in his bedroom. Doctors were reportedly called immediately and diagnosed the 71-year-old leader with "cardiac arrest." Putin was then moved to a special medical facility within the apartment for intensive care.
Can we trust the source?
The Telegram channel General SVR is reportedly run by a former Russian lieutenant-general. The channel has previously claimed that Putin uses body doubles for public events and foreign visits. But can we really trust an anonymous source, especially one that has made such sensational claims in the past?
According to British historian Mark Galeotti, who is also a writer on transnational crime and Russian security affairs as well as the director of the consulting firm Mayak Intelligence, the answer is a resounding no.
He has previously written about the Telegram channel on Twitter, where he urges people not to trust its content.
Watch his post below
Given that the information comes from an anonymous source and has not been confirmed by any other outlets, it's crucial to approach this news with skepticism. Could this be a calculated move to stir the pot, or is there some truth to the claims?
It seems, then, that there is no substance to the rumors this time.
