Ukrainian military intelligence has made a stunning announcement that has sent shockwaves across Russia - that Vladimir Putin has not one, but three doppelgangers.
The claim, which was made by spokesperson Andriy Yusov, was immediately refuted by the Russian secret services, who claimed that Putin himself is alive and well. The news came after a wave of rumors that Putin might be dead or incapacitated, with many pointing out that his recent speeches seemed abnormal, as if they had been computer-generated, as per Daily Mail.
AI Putin's New Year Address Sparks Doubts
The speech in question was a New Year's address, which was broadcast just before midnight across the whole of Russia. In it, "AI Putin" appeared in front of a snow encircled Kremlin to praise Russian citizens for their "solidarity, mercy, and fortitude". He also said that, together, they could "solve the most difficult problems" and that there is "no force that can separate us".
However, Ukrainian resident Mykhaïlo Golub quickly took to social media to share a clip of the speech with Putin's neck circled. His caption read: "Apparently, the New Year greeting of Putin was AI-generated" - implying that there was something off about the Russian president's head and the rest of his body.
The claim that Putin might be using body doubles is not a new one - rumors have been circulating in Russia for years that the dictator has been replaced by doubles on occasion. However, this latest announcement goes further than any before, with Ukrainian intelligence officials claiming that the real Putin has not been seen since 2022.
The head of Ukrainian military intelligence Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov said: "The one, who everyone used to know, was last seen around 26 June 2022," according to The Sun.
Debate Over Putin's Alleged Body Doubles Intensifies
The pro-Kremlin media has been quick to dismiss these claims, calling them "ridiculous" and "baseless". However, some experts have suggested that there may be more to these rumors than meets the eye. An AI investigation analyzing Putin's facial features, gait and speech concluded that a minimum of two body doubles have been used in his place.
Voice analysis from Putin's public appearances also supported claims that doppelgangers were in play. It was concluded that the real Putin hosted the annual Red Square Victory Day parade on May 9, but a different Putin may have inspected the Crimean Bridge 11 months ago. AI technology found only a 53 per cent match of the pair.
While the suggestion of Putin using doppelgangers may seem far-fetched, there are those who believe that there may be some truth to these claims. Protests have broken out across Russia in recent weeks, with many calling for Putin to step down and new elections to be held. It is possible that the Putin body doubles are being used to calm the population and retain public support.
Whatever the truth of the matter, it is clear that the Putin doppelganger conspiracy theory is here to stay. As long as Putin remains in power, there will be those who question his every move and word, searching for any sign that he may not be who he claims to be. And with tensions between Russia and its neighbors continuing to mount, this is a story that is unlikely to disappear anytime soon, Mirror reported.