Unconfirmed reports are surfacing that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to undergo cancer surgery and will temporarily transfer his authority to Nikolai Patrushev, head of the Russian federal police’s Security Council, while he is undergoing the medical procedure.
What Happened: A Russian-language Telegram channel called "General SVR" first reported the news in a posting that is no longer online. The New York Post reported the channel is allegedly run by someone calling himself “Viktor Mikhailovich,” although the channel’s operator is reportedly a former Russian Foreign Intelligence Service lieutenant general.
