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TYRANNICAL Vladimir Putin has not been seen since April 1 but may reappear today to meet Donald Trump’s diplomat.
His disappearance comes as the US president criticised the Kremlin leader for relentlessly bombing Ukraine and stalling calls for a ceasefire.
East2West
AP
ADSBexchange/e2wWhite House envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Russia on Friday and is expected to meet Putin today, according to Axios.
He landed in St Petersburg just hours after Putin’s latest massive ballistic missile strike on Ukraine, this time in Dnipro.
Last time Witkoff was in Moscow, he was reportedly made to wait eight hours to see Putin in what experts called a “power play”.
It has also been reported that Putin flew over Thursday night to St Petersburg where any meeting with Witkoff would take place.
Their meeting could end a bizarre mystery for Putin-watchers who claim the dictator has not been seen since April Fool’s Day, despite the war being in a hot phase.
Last week, The Don reportedly considered defying his inner circle by thinking of having a call with Putin.
The reports came as Russia continued to launch devastating drone attacks and missile strikes on Ukraine, despite Trump‘s patience wearing thin.
It also comes after desperate Putin redeployed his banished “best military brain”, known as Spartacus, in another snub against Trump’s peace efforts.
Tired-looking Putin, 72, has been shown daily on Russian TV, meeting various Russian governors and officials.
But Vlad analysts say that these videos are highly likely “canned” – or pre recorded.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Putin would “die soon, and that’s a fact”, due to rumours of his ill-health.
This speculated disappearance marks the second time he has not been seen for more than a week this year.
The alleged absences have reignited rumours over his poor health.
One of the telltale signs of Vlad’s supposed illness is him grimacing while steadying his ‘tremoring’ hand during long meetings
Vlad is believed to have multiple surgeries and injections on his faceEast2West
In the past, there has been speculation that he has used such vanishing acts for surgery for supposed serious medical conditions, or to top up his plastic surgery.
His lover Alina Kabaeva, 41, has been absent from public view for most of the same period following a gymnastics tournament in Kazan.
The last time Putin appeared in a live public event was on April 1 when he met a Chinese diplomat.
Since then his forces have launched savage strikes on civilians in Ukraine, including the killing of nine children and 11 adults in Kryvyi Rih, home city of Volodymyr Zelensky.
In mad Vlad’s latest strikes, he hit Dnipro, killing a man, 42, and wounding at least nine.
AP
East2WestThe disappearance comes as a “p****d off” Trump has criticised the Russian tyrant’s “crazy” bombing which has continued relentlessly.
The US president said that he was “not happy with what’s going on with the bombing”.
If a meeting with Witkoff goes ahead today, it is likely to focus on whether Russia will halt its onslaught on civilians – and agree a full ceasefire.
Since the start of April, Putin has only been seen meeting the governor of Moscow region Andrei Vorobyov and the head of Buryatia republic Alexei Tsydenov.
He also met Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and the head of state airline Aeroflot, Sergei Aleksandrovsky.
On Thursday there was a session with his old friend and ex-sports minister Vasily Mutko.
AFP“The last time the president was absent for such a long time was during the New Year holidays – he did not appear from December 29 to January 8 inclusive,” reported news outlet Agentsvo.
The Kremlin on Thursday said Putin was expected to make a regional visit on Friday, but didn’t say saying where.
Some such regional tours have featured doppelgängers of Putin which he is strongly suspected to use, according to experts.
On Friday, the UK announced that they would provide £450million of military support to Kyiv.
The announcement also came as Keir Starmer‘s government was reportedly considering deploying troops to Ukraine for five years as part of plans discussed by European allies.
Reuters
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