Vladimir Putin has launched a bizarre rant about bedbugs not being able to make their way into Russia as he attempted to brutally mock the latest Western sanctions aimed at crippling his country.
Russia has been smashed by damaging economic sanctions packages from Europe and the US since Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In the latest move, Lithuania is looking to ban the export of buttons, nails, sewing needles, and knitting needles into Russia as part of the 12th package of sanctions from the European Union.
But in a bizarre rant, Putin has suggested the latest sanctions aimed at battering his country could at least stop an invasion of bedbugs – a recent infestation in France that caused panic after they were spotted on the Paris Metro, as well as in airports and in cinemas.
The Russian president said: “In their fantasies, they reach the point of absurdity. The West proposes to ban the import of screwdrivers, needles, and so on, into Russia.
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“Well, the less junk, the better, perhaps. There is less chance that bed bugs will be exported to us from large European cities.”
Putin also claimed the West has tried to impose numerous sanctions packages, but has “practically become entangled” in its own restrictions.
But the same Telegram channel that has alleged Putin died last month after suffering a heart attack claimed the odd outburst was “evidence” the president had been replaced with a body double.
General SVR alleged the pro-Putin circle is negotiating how to create a shadow presidential power that would lead the country in place of him, using body doubles to create the illusion the Russian President is still alive.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov furiously dismissed the wild speculation over his deteriorating health and apparent death, while also slamming reports Putin had been using a body double to stand in for him as an “absurd hoax”.
But the Telegram channel is standing by its claims, this time posting: “The understudy showed himself to be worse than Putin as an ‘economist’ by talking nonsense about ‘screwdrivers and needles’ on which ‘bed bugs’ from Europe could break into Russia.
“It should be noted that the understudy is incomparably more stupid than the late Putin, which becomes especially noticeable after he receives permission from his curators to express his own opinion on certain issues.
“The more the understudy opens his mouth when moving away from the written text, the more obvious it is that he is a complete idiot.”
