Leaked U.S. Military Documents Suggest Putin Is Undergoing Chemotherapy

Leaked classified U.S. military documents containing national security secrets include unconfirmed intelligence about Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s current health struggles.

Major speculation about the Russian leader’s health have been circulating online since he launched his large-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. Initially, Putin’s erratic behavior was believed to be a sign of Parkinson’s Disease. However, after recently being seen at an Easter celebration in Moscow with a scar on his neck, many now believe the leader is struggling with thyroid cancer.  

While U.S. officials have repeatedly denied there is any evidence for the Russian leader’s deteriorating health, a document among the dozens of leaked intelligence reports suggests otherwise.

Detailing a conversation between two Ukrainian officials, the document reveals that Putin’s internal opponents sought to challenge his rule during a time he was said to be undergoing chemotherapy.

The document gives no indication about whether the U.S. finds this intelligence credible or not, and there has been no emerging evidence to substantiate these claims.

In July 2022, the CIA director, William J. Burns, dismissed speculation about Putin’s declining health, saying that the Russian leader is “entirely too healthy.”

In a similar vein, Richard Moore, the head of the British foreign intelligence service MI6, said, “There is no evidence that Putin is suffering from serious illness.”