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originally posted by: Rocker2013
a reply to: JonStone
Well this is fascinating.
And I'm compelled to agree with the assessment of Leonid Bershidsky.
He's clearly not simply on vacation, this is a man who has not dropped out of view in 15 years, and it's clear that his publicly available schedule is a lie.
We know the Kremlin is lying about his whereabouts, he didn't attend meetings on the days his schedule claims. If it were a vacation, it would be a working one and it would not be during a period where he has important events planned. Why would he have planned to sign a treaty with S Ossetia while also being on vacation? Did someone surprise him with a trip to Disneyland that he couldn't possibly resist?
There are only a few options we can consider as plausible...
1. He's dead
2. He's ill
3. He's been ousted
4. He's facing an internal crisis unknown to the rest of the world
5. He's planning something nefarious
Personally, I think option 2 is more likely.
We need to be worried either way. With Putin gone we have no idea who is in control of a country almost seething with nationalism the likes of which we haven't seen since Nazi Germany, and this irrational mindset begins at the Kremlin. It's highly unlikely that anyone remotely moderate or reasonable would take his place.
originally posted by: rickymouse
He's at a golf club practicing his Putin.
Unconfirmed Russian Internet rumors that Vladimir Putin is dead
DEBKAfile March 12, 2015, 11:03 AM (IDT)
DEBKAfile reports that Russian websitesThursday morning began running unconfirmed reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had suddenly died. This has not been confirmed by any official in Moscow. But a short announcement of Putin’s death was seen briefly on Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s website early Thursday, only to be removed after 20 minutes. According to officials in Moscow, Putin was expected in Kazakhstan Thursday for meetings with its leaders, but failed to turn up.
originally posted by: corblimeyguvnor
Unconfirmed Russian Internet rumors that Vladimir Putin is dead
DEBKAfile March 12, 2015, 11:03 AM (IDT)
DEBKAfile reports that Russian websitesThursday morning began running unconfirmed reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had suddenly died. This has not been confirmed by any official in Moscow. But a short announcement of Putin’s death was seen briefly on Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s website early Thursday, only to be removed after 20 minutes. According to officials in Moscow, Putin was expected in Kazakhstan Thursday for meetings with its leaders, but failed to turn up.
www.debka.com...
The i have bolded the text in the above for emphasis, don't know if its true or not
originally posted by: corblimeyguvnor
Unconfirmed Russian Internet rumors that Vladimir Putin is dead
DEBKAfile March 12, 2015, 11:03 AM (IDT)
DEBKAfile reports that Russian websitesThursday morning began running unconfirmed reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had suddenly died. This has not been confirmed by any official in Moscow. But a short announcement of Putin’s death was seen briefly on Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s website early Thursday, only to be removed after 20 minutes. According to officials in Moscow, Putin was expected in Kazakhstan Thursday for meetings with its leaders, but failed to turn up.
www.debka.com...
I have bolded the text in the above for emphasis, don't know if its true or not
Isn't it reasonable rule of thumb around these parts that if DEBKA claims something you can be pretty sure it's not true?
originally posted by: corblimeyguvnor
a reply to: Rocker2013
Isn't it reasonable rule of thumb around these parts that if DEBKA claims something you can be pretty sure it's not true?
My bad, i wasn't aware. I am now though
The Kremlin's attempt to dispel rumors that Russian President Vladimir Putin's health had deteriorated just backfired again.
On Friday, Russian state television released footage of the "perfectly healthy" 62-year-old leader meeting with Supreme Court chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev to discuss judicial reform systems — except, the world has already seen this video, in October.
The video appears in a news report last year:
Putin's rare absence is tallying in at eight days. He was last seen March 5 with the Italian prime minister.
So far, and without an official explanation, Putin canceled a meeting in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and a meeting in Moscow with a delegation from the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia, Reuters reports.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters on Thursday that Putin was in good health and was working as usual. Peskov told Ekho Moskvy radio station Thursday that the president was "absolutely" healthy, adding that the president's handshake was still so strong it could "break your hand," the Associated Press reports.
Putin is to meet with the president of Kyrgyzstan early next week, the Associated Press reports, citing the Kremlin.