Solovey said: “The fact is that the current President Vladimir Putin is living out the last days of his earthly life. Not months, and not weeks, but precisely the last days (due to terminal illness).

“He is currently, like in previous months, being successfully replaced by his double.

“The double even goes to Beijing. And the Chinese side knows very well who they are dealing with.”

Russian Telegram channel General SVR those in charge of Putin’s double on the China trip found the meeting with Xi ‘exciting’ as they do not want to lose power when the real Russian president dies.

However, the channel highlighted “important differences” that could point to clear signs of a body double being used, “despite the careful preparation of the understudy”.

It predicted a body double would continue in power after he dies in order to hide his demise from ordinary Russians.

General SVR posted: “The attending doctors predict Putin’s imminent death amid a sharp deterioration in his health.

“In the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a fuss began with an attempt to create a consensus around the idea of the continuation of the existence of the Putin regime after Putin.

‌”There is a general understanding that for some time it is possible to use a double of the president after the death or removal from power of the real Vladimir Putin.”

The Russian president has previously reportedly rejected proposals from aides that body doubles of him should be used.

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