Putin's double made a mistake? This video went viral

It's a well-known supposition that Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, allegedly employs several doubles. This concept is purportedly meant to enhance the image of an omnipotent and powerful leader who engages with citizens. Nonetheless, due to his alleged fears and phobias, he does not always wish to appear in public. An intriguing recording of an apparent double of the Russian head of state is now making its rounds on the internet. This individual was asked point-blank if he was Putin, and his response raised eyebrows.

Vladimir Putin is speculated to have not just one, but multiple doubles. According to Andrij Jusow, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Russian leader is substituted by three "actors", each of whom allegedly resides in separate secure rooms under stringent protection.

Speculation about Putin's doubles surfaced when noticeable differences in appearance and behavior were spotted at certain meetings where the so-called Russian president was present. It's generally accepted that stand-ins for Putin are present at some public events, particularly secondary ones, with a suggested number being at least three.

Vladimir Putin's alleged fears and phobias, particularly a fear of death, provide the context for these theories, given his desire for airtight levels of personal safety.

As an example, in March this year, Putin was scheduled to meet with residents of Mariupol, a city under Russian occupation. Late at night, he was seen walking the city streets, engaging with pedestrians. However, observers argue that such behavior is inconsistent with Putin's usual modus operandi. Typically, during official meetings, he remains separated from his guests by a large table. Ergo, his visit to a war-ravaged country — a war of his own initiation — appears to be a calculated attempt at creating a propaganda image.

Ukrainian military intelligence has also remarked that there's no definitive evidence suggesting Putin ever visited Mariupol.

These purported doubles of Putin appear to be growing weary of the intrigue they're caught up in. One of them is suspected of having attended a recent meeting with a group of youths. The consequential recording is causing a stir online, as one of the boys directly asked the suspected double if he were Putin. The man replied, "I am. Yes, for now."

The topic of Putin's alleged doubles recently caught the attention of Japanese analysts. By deploying AI techniques, they corroborated the existence of at least two purported stand-ins during public appearances.

The facial attributes of the real Putin were juxtaposed with those of the alleged doubles, one of whom appeared on the Crimean Bridge. This yielded a resemblance of 53 percent. However, when comparing this same double with the purported Putin who visited Mariupol, the similarity was a mere 18 percent.

Despite all these, the Kremlin officially maintains that the Russian President does not utilize a double.