The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, could have made the decision to invade Ukraine under the influence of hormonal drugs, which he uses to treat cancer.
In an interview with the Berlingske newspaper, the head of the Danish Military Intelligence Serviceʼs Russia analysis department, whom the newspaper is calling only as Joakim for security reasons, says that megalomania and a moon-shaped face are two side effects of hormonal treatment for some forms of cancer.
"It’s not something I can say for certain, but I think it did affect his decisions when he launched the war in Ukraine," Joakim said.
Putin was likely experiencing both side effects around the time the war in Ukraine began. "The condition of the Russian president may lead to his loss of power," Denmark believes.
Berlingske suggests that it was under the influence of drugs that the Russian dictator started the war. It also explains why Putin sometimes seems awkward when he sits down and grabs the edge of the table with his hand.
A source in Danish intelligence says that the subsequent situation on the battlefield will depend on Putinʼs personal humiliation, not on military strength.
“ It’s just as much to do with him personally being humiliated and appearing to be weak, and Putin can’t stand appearing to be weak. So there is this combination of factors that might be dangerous," says the scout. At the same time, according to him, there are no signs that the Russians are ready to remove Putin from power, but his health is failing him.
Apparently, they say in Denmark, he is not terminally ill, but suffers from severe chronic pain after the treatment, several falls, and accidents. Therefore, he tends to sit and hold on to things to relieve the pain. The Russian investigative publication "The Project" previously suggested that Putin might have thyroid cancer.
In July, CIA Director William Burns commented on reports of Putinʼs possible health deterioration, noting that there is no evidence of this. "Putin looks too healthy," Burns joked at the time.
The Kremlin previously denied reports of the dictatorʼs poor health.