Putin “is terminally ill with cancer” and his death is “coming very quickly,” says Ukraine’s intelligence chief

Vladimir Putin has terminal cancer and will die very soon, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service has claimed.

Kyrylo Budanov, without providing evidence, said he knew the Russian despot’s death was imminent due to an ongoing cancer.

Budanov, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s main intelligence service, spoke about the ongoing war and the Russian leader in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

He added that he expects there to be a handover of power to another Russian cronie after Putin’s demise.

Kyrylo Budanov (pictured) said he knew Putin’s death was imminent due to an ongoing cancer, undated

Speculations about Putin’s health have persisted for several years. Pictured: Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, January 2022

ABC News’ Britt Clennett asked Budanov if Putin was terminally ill, to which the spy chief immediately replied, “of course.”

Budanov added in his non-native English, “He’s been ill for a long time.”

When asked when he thinks Putin’s death will come, Budanov said he thinks it would be very soon.

“I think very quickly. I hope.’

Speculations about Putin’s health have persisted for several years. The 70-year-old Russian leader is rumored to be suffering from cancer, Parkinson’s and numerous other ailments.

“We think it’s cancer,” Budanov said.

“We know from human sources” close to Putin, he added.

Budanov, main intelligence service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, spoke about the ongoing war and the Russian leader. Pictured: Major General Kyrylo Budanov (second from right) with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (second from left), undated

ABC News’ Britt Clennett asked Budanov if Putin was terminally ill, to which the spy chief immediately replied, “of course.”

Budanov was also asked what he thought would happen if Putin died, if someone from the Kremlin would take over and if the war in Ukraine would continue.

He responded that he expected there to be “a replacement and a transfer of power,” suggesting it would go to one of Putin’s cronies.

“This war should end sooner [Putin] dies,” added Budanov.

Telegram channel General SVR, which claims to have a number of inside sources in the Kremlin, said Putin’s doctors recently diagnosed a “significant deterioration in his health” and recommended that he withdraw from public appearances so he could rest.

The Telegram channel also reported that Putin was getting tired very quickly.

He’s also prone to “frequent dizzy spells and headaches” and “loss of consciousness,” he added.

When asked when he thinks Putin’s death will come, Budanov said he thinks it would be very soon. Pictured: Putin clutches the desk during a meeting with National Guard Chief Viktor Zolotov at the Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, in August 2022

Vladimir Putin has terminal cancer and will die very soon, said the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence. Pictured: Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on December 14, 2022

The reports of Putin’s poor health were supported by the cancellation of a number of planned trips and public engagements.

Just last week, on December 28, Putin canceled a planned trip to Pskov, a city near the Estonian border. The cancellation was officially attributed to “unfavorable flight conditions,” but weather forecasts suggested skies were clear.

A visit to Russia’s largest tank plant in Nizhny Tagil in the Ural Mountains was also put on hold. Even the usual appearance at a meeting of his government ministers at the end of the year was cancelled.

Putin also refused to go ahead with his traditional December press conference, where the president usually speaks for up to four hours and takes questions from journalists and viewers. Even Putin’s beloved end-of-year ice hockey game was cancelled.

Who could take power if Putin dies?

The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, has claimed that Vladimir Putin has terminal cancer and will die very soon.

If Putin dies, there are a number of prominent actors who could take over.

Since Putin’s war started, Putin’s allies like Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov and Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin have begun to contend for power and notoriety, suggesting they may one day want to oust him.

Ukrainian intelligence believes Putin’s domestic tsar Sergei Kiriyenkoformer FSB chief Nikolai Patrushevand his son Dmitry Patrushev could also position themselves for a takeover.

Putin’s ally, Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, is fighting for power

Ukrainian intelligence believes Putin’s domestic tsar Sergei Kiriyenko (pictured), former FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev and his son Dmitry Patrushev may also be positioning themselves for a takeover