It was the GeneralSVR Telegram channel that broke the news that Russia’s leader had “died at his luxury Valdai palace” on Oct. 26. This was just one of a stream of extraordinary claims the channel has made.
Out of plain curiosity KyivPost decided to take a closer look at the claims the channel made over the last twelve months to see how accurate or ridiculous some of his pronouncements were. We make no assessment of the veracity of the statements reported here even though they are portrayed as being definitive – they are GeneralSVR’s.
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Dec. 4, 2022
Putin was told that 87% of Russia’s nuclear arsenal is “nuclear waste”, not suitable for use.
Dec. 6, 2022 https://t.me/generalsvr/1260
Putin’s double drove the Mercedes car over the Crimean Bridge - Putin was too scared because of the October attack on the Crimean Bridge, and Dec. 5 drone attacks on Russian military airfields.
Dec. 8, 2022 https://t.me/generalsvr/1269
Because of drone attacks Putin has stepped up his personal security measures and will spend more time in his bunker beyond the Ural Mountains.
Dec. 11, 2022 https://t.me/generalsvr/1279
Putin given latest casualty figures for his “special military operation” and orders they are not for “public consumption”:
Regular army - 95,657 dead
Russian PMCs - 29,619 dead
Russian National Guard - 5,776 killed and missing.
HUR Identifies Russian Aircrew and Aircraft Involved in Kinzhal Attacks on Ukraine
(N.B. Ukraine estimate of Russian casualties was 99,000 on Dec. 19)
Dec. 12, 2022 https://t.me/generalsvr/1281
Putin had a proctological operation that’s forced him to conduct meetings by video link without images as he spent the meetings lying on his side – it was too painful to sit.
Dec 27, 2022 https://t.me/generalsvr/1319
In a foul-mouthed tirade against military leaders via video link, following Ukraine’s night attack on the military airfield at Engels, Putin accused them of unacceptable failure then cut the link before they could respond.
Jan. 4, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1333
Putin gave instructions to “covertly” mobilize a further two million into the military in 2023, and was assured that the “necessary minimum” of equipment and weapons would be provided. He ordered the “closing of borders” for four million men of military age. He agreed priority for mobilization should be for minor criminals and debtors.
Jan. 5, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1334
“Putin’s banker,” Yuri Kovalchuk, visited him in his bunker with a “mystic” who was to perform a ritual on Orthodox Christmas Eve (Jan. 6) that would ensure Putin achieved his “Great Victory”.
Jan. 11, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1343
The elite is growing concerned about Putin’s health issues including recent “emergency therapy,” which saw much of his autumn program cancelled. Some see him as a “lame duck” leading the country into the abyss.
Jan. 23, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1374
Putin orders military to plan a new “special operation” where quick victory can be practically “guaranteed.” He suggests this be against Georgia whose pro-Russian current leadership would accept it as a chance to get rid of “undesirable political elements.”
Feb. 2, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1407
Another casualty update:
Regular army - 132,491 dead
Russian PMCs - 46,535 dead
Russian National Guard - 6,438 killed and missing.
Putin demands weekly updates in the future.
Feb. 7, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1411
Lukashenko declines to provide “active” support to the “special military operation” and turns down an invitation to visit Moscow in spite of threats from Putin to withhold funds. Putin is told that Belarus has begun back-channel talks with the Chinese leadership and the West.
March 14, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1466
Putin, who was recovering from a minor operation, held a televised meeting with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who was also rumored to have medical issues. The broadcast was intended to show them both in good health – it was obvious (even on Moscow-approved footage) that neither of them were well.
March 22, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1484
Day two of visit of Chinese president. Putin is unwell but can’t back out and folded under Xi Jinping’s demands. Xi met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin who got China’s views on possible replacements for Putin. Putin angered by Chinese demands to end his war.
April 5, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1516
Putin’s double is wheeled out on a visit to the Tula region, whose Governor Alexey Dyumin is aware of the use of a stand-in. The imposter is fit and vigorous while the real Putin becomes ever feebler; he can walk only short distances and uses a specially equipped wheelchair to move about in his residences.
April 9, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1524
Putin woke up with blurred vision, numbness of the tongue, loss of sensation in his right arm and leg, and a severe headache – doctors were called.
April18, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1544
Putin’s double was allowed to continue his tour of the occupied territories of Ukraine having “done well” on his recent visits to Crimea and Mariupol.
(N.B. this “confirms” the claims made about the use of “doppelgangers” by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense secretary Oleksiy Danilov)
May 7, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1576
Another casualty update:
Regular army - 195,754 dead
Russian PMCs - 65,091 dead
Russian National Guard - 7,724 killed and missing.
June, 24 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1660
The day of Wagner’s aborted mutiny. Putin holed up in his Valdai residence. Russia’s response led by Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation - Nikolai Patrushev. Putin (and others of the elite) examine possible routes out of Russia including Belarus and Kazakhstan (whose leader President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev politely refused) “just in case.”
Between May and July General SVR made further reports of Putin’s deteriorating health necessitating meetings to be held over video links and increased public appearances of the double(s). He also claimed that exact copies of Putin’s Kremlin office had been made in his bunkers so he could hold video meetings while hiding his actual location – this was partly confirmed by an Ap article in April 2023.
July 25, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1719
The double has been studying for five to six hours a day in preparation of the forthcoming St. Petersburg Russia-Africa summit. Some believe he now understand many issues much better than the original leading some to ask: “Why, then, do we even need a real Putin?”
July 27, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1723
As Putin’s health gets worse, he increasingly turns to shamans, elders, pseudo-astrologers, black magic, telepathy, the occult environment and other strange things, for help in saving him and his war. These are often introduced to him by Yuri Kovalchuk and the Russian Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu.
Aug, 13, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1741
Another casualty update:
Regular army - 264,776 dead (now includes figures of PMCs and Russian National Guard who are now under control of Russian MoD).
Sept. 18, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1794
Putin’s health continues to get worse and conducts most meetings via video while his doubles continue the public appearances. No one was surprised today when both appeared in “live” sessions in different places at the same time.
Oct.5, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1813
Putin spent almost the entire day with his doctors and refused to hold scheduled meetings or receive reports. In the afternoon, the attending doctors eventually left him late in the evening looking concerned.
Putin’s health reaches crisis point:
Oct. 23, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1838
Putin suffers cardiac arrest! Security officers heard noise from his bedroom. He was found lying on the floor, furniture was knocked over, he was arching convulsively rolling his eyes. Duty doctors were immediately called.
The double replaces him at meetings over the next two days.
Oct, 26, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1845
Putin died at 20.42 Moscow time, when doctors stopped resuscitation and pronounced death and were locked in the room with Putin’s corpse, until the members of the presidential security service are told what to do.
Oct 27, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1847
Putin’s corpse was placed in a freezer in the presidential residence in Valdai. His doctors are held in the residence by the president's security service.
For the next few weeks, the country is run by a team put together by Patrushev as they plan what to do. They eventually seem to conclude that the double is good enough to stand-in up to and beyond the forthcoming 2024 elections until there is a “controlled demise.”
Nov. 4, 2023
A memorial service for the deceased Vladimir Putin is scheduled for Nov 5 by the former inner circle who will hold a sumptuous dinner.
The double carried out public visits including one to Kazakhstan on Nov.10. Trusted members of the inner circle are now fully briefed. Those who are not considered reliable are frozen out. The real Putin remains in the freezer in the Valdai palace.
Nov. 21, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1934
Chairman of the State Duma, Dmitry Medvedev has begun heavily drinking and is “disciplined” by Patrushev who fears he may give away the real Putin situation. He now needs “need additional makeup around the ears, under the eyes and on the neck.”
Nov. 24, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1940
The double and Patrushev attended the CSTO summit in Minsk. Russia’s leadership realizes the alliance is on its last legs in spite of Russia’s promise of benefits and threats, which the double echoed in his speech. Lukashenko seemed to be positioning himself as the new leader of the bloc.
Nov. 28, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1945
Patrushev accused a US “superweapon” was responsible for the unprecedented storm in Crimea. Patrushev, like the “late” Russian President is an avid conspiracy theorist. No one was brave enough to insist it was just a natural phenomenon.
Dec. 1, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1954
The plan for the way ahead has been agreed for the new “Politburo 2.0”. The president's double will stand in the presidential elections next spring (he has changed his name Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin). After victory, Patrushev’s son will be appointed Prime Minister, Shoigu will remain Minister of Defense, Putin’s eldest daughter, Maria Vorontsova, will become Minister of Health. The FSB will be headed by Sergei Korolev. After six months of the new government, Putin's understudy will announce his resignation, introducing Dmitry Patrushev as his successor.
Dec. 7, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1970
The visit of the double to the UAE and Saudi Arabia was considered a necessary risk to show that the “president” is alive and in control. There are concerns about the health of the double as he needed to be constantly medicated to remain calm during flying then given stimulants to “switch” him on when in public. The visits were relatively short and focused on “pressing the flesh.” Patrushev is sure they “got away with it.”
Dec. 8, 2023 https://t.me/generalsvr/1976
The double met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who was brought “in on the deception” and like Xi Jinping seemed to understand that much more can be obtained from Russia with the stand-in there than with the real Putin.
Conclusion
While it is easy to dismiss GeneralSVR as a simple fantasist or, as some including Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (HUR) spokesman Andriy Yusovwould contend, an “agent provocateur” in the pay of the Kremlin, the selection of posts reproduced here show how difficult it is to be sure. His wilder conspiracy claims are tempered by his reports on other issues that are often shown to be accurate.
The bottom line for me is whether true, fiction or fantasy they are eminently entertaining and I will continue to read them even though I will make sure they are accompanied by the largest possible pinch of salt and I suggest you do too.
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