Absurd or Alarming? Putin 'Dead' After Rumored Illness, 'Understudy' Recognized as Stand-in President: Report

A Kremlin source alleged that Vladimir Putin died over the weekend, and a body double has been officially recognized as the president of Russia, RadarOnline.com reported.

The report follows rumors that Putin, 71, suffered a heart attack in recent weeks and was living out his final days in solitude while the alleged doppelgängers carried out official duties.

According to the Telegram channel General SRV, which claims to relay information from a Kremlin insider, Putin died at his Valdai residence last week.

"There was a 'viewing' of the double of the late Russian President Vladimir Putin by a representative composition of the permanent members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. In essence, the understudy has already held similar meetings, but this was during Putin’s lifetime, and now Nikolai Patrushev has arranged a kind of acceptance of the understudy in the image of the President by everyone who is related to the first and, partially, the second circle of people close to the 'President,'" the channel posted.

The channel added that Putin's new "understudy" had allegedly been recognized as the president and is "ready to accept the new rules of the game — and a grandiose game is being started."

"It is worth noting that the double held both a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council via video link and a face-to-face meeting with representatives of the Security Council, the Government and the leadership of law enforcement agencies," General SRV's post continued.

The Telegram channel previously claimed that Putin had to be "resuscitated" after guards found him convulsing and lying on the ground after suffering the alleged heart attack.

While details on Putin's alleged death remain unclear, the channel suggested that the late despot's body was being kept at the Valdai residence.

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Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the Security Council, is believed to have taken control of the Kremlin reins in the wake of Putin's alleged death.

Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied the channel's claims. It's the second time in recent weeks that the Telegram channel has forced the Kremlin to acknowledge rumors on Putin's rumored failing health.

While Peskov branded the claims "absurd information canard," the Telegram channel ended its latest post with confidence.

The General SVR account appeared to stand by its claims and concluded its most recent post by noting, "Soon there will be numerous confirmations of our information."