Russian president Vladimir Putin was treated for advanced cancer in April and had an assassination attempt on his life in March, according to a report by the U.S. intelligence community, Newsweek reported Thursday.
Three high-ranking, anonymous officials representing the office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Air Force and the Defense Intelligence Agency told Newsweek that Putin is paranoid and feels his hold on power is becoming more tenuous. (RELATED: Bill Maher Says It’s ‘Worth Asking’ Why Putin Didn’t Invade Ukraine Under Donald Trump)
“Putin’s grip is strong but no longer absolute,” one official, whom Newsweek claimed had direct access to the reports, said. “The jockeying inside the Kremlin has never been more intense during his rule, everyone sensing that the end is near.”
The latest reports doing the rounds, a Ukrainian military official has confirmed that the Russian President Vladimir Putin survived an assassination attempt.
— Mint (@livemint) May 24, 2022
The Russian leader has stayed in relative isolation since his invasion of Ukraine in February, complicating matters for U.S. intelligence, the outlet noted.
“What we know is that there is an iceberg out there, albeit one covered in fog,” Newsweek’s source from the Director of National Intelligence said.
“Putin has had few meetings with foreign leaders,” the official said, according to Newsweek. “Putin’s isolation has thus increased levels of speculation.”