Yet one more wrinkle that will play out on the international stage, and add a further complication should there be a change in the U.S. presidency.

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Vladimir Putin, 68, ‘set to resign as Russian president early next year amid fears he has Parkinson’s’

Nick Parker
Nov 5 2020, 18:15 ETUpdated: Nov 5 2020, 18:36 ET

VLADIMIR Putin is planning to quit early next year amid growing fears for his health, Moscow sources claimed last night.

Kremlin watchers said recent tell-tale footage showed the 68-year-old strongman has possible symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.

And informed analysts claimed that the Russian president’s glamorous ex-gymnast lover Alina Kabaeva, 37, is begging him to release his grip on power.

Observers who studied recent footage of Putin noted his legs appeared to be in constant motion and he looked to be in pain while clutching the armrest of a chair.

His fingers are also seen to be twitching as he held a pen and gripped a cup believed to contain a cocktail of painkillers.

Speculation that his 20-year-reign - second only to that of Stalin - could be nearing an end grew earlier this week when laws were drafted to make him a senator-for-life when he resigns.

Legislation introduced by Putin himself was being rushed through parliament to guarantee him legal immunity from prosecution and state perks until he dies.

Moscow political scientist Professor Valery Solovei fuelled further speculation last night by suggesting Putin may have symptoms of Parkinson’s.

The academic said he also understood Putin’s undisclosed partner Alina was pressuring him to quit - along with his daughters Maria Vorontsova , 35, Katerina Tikhonova, 34.

Solovei said: "There is a family, it has a great influence on him. He intends to make public his handover plans in January”.

The professor predicted that Putin would soon appoint a new prime minister who would be groomed to become his eventual successor.

The president’s staff have repeatedly played down rumours that he is paving the way for a political exit.

And Putin himself has regularly released pictures of him looking fit and toned in Action Man poses hunting, shooting, horse riding and playing ice hockey.

His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the senator-for-life move: : "This is the practice that is being applied in many countries of the world, and it is quite justified.

“This is not innovation from the point of view of international practice.”

Oh, so senators-for-life are immune from arrest and civil suits? Perhaps even tax audits? That's one way to retire without getting devoured by the shark tank.

I wonder if he's actually got Parkinson's or something or if some of the sharks are starting to bump him to see if he's edible.

I wonder if Hillary or Obama is the favorite to take his spot?

Couldn't happan to a nicer guy.

Don't die too quickly and painlessly now...

USA collusion

Who can help Trump now ?

So he's unwell?

Nothing trivial, I trust?

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:
I wonder if Hillary or Obama is the favorite to take his spot?

Weather in Moscow is too cold for Hillary and the Politburo would eat up Zippy.

With what is about to happen in this country I'll take Putin. It's not much difference.

Must've taken one too many hockey pucks to the head...

Anybody monitoring Hilary's travel records?

He needs a shot of novichok.

I'm guessing that he wants to get out and enjoy his truly VAST ill gotten wealth rather than have to run a country while doing it.

May the Novichok be with him.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
I'm guessing that he wants to get out and enjoy his truly VAST ill gotten wealth rather than have to run a country while doing it.

Supposedly he has around $70 billion and there are some "reports" has has more money than Bezos. He makes tin-pots in Africa and elsewhere look like school boys.

Good F him!

Putin ain't going anywhere. He will die in office.

I’m not saying he’s not a monster, but he has turned Russia around.

Russia has never been free, in its history. It won’t be, until it’s not full of a slave culture.

Just like we are losing our freedoms, because we’re letting people who think like serfs immigrate, without becoming Americans.

quote:

His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the senator-for-life move: : "This is the practice that is being applied in many countries of the world, and it is quite justified.

“This is not innovation from the point of view of international practice.”

What countries? Top. Countries.

Any possibility that he was being poisoned? That would never happen in Russia would it? *s*