Moment slumped ‘cancer-stricken’ Putin struggles to stay awake during war meeting before camera is mysteriously cut

THIS is the moment slumped “cancer-ridden” Vladimir Putin struggles to stay awake during a war meeting before the camera mysteriously cuts out. The ailing autocrat is hunched over his desk as he unenthusiastically congratulates his troops on “liberating” the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk. A ‘worn out’ Vladimir Putin appears to doze off mid-speechTwitter Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the capture of Luhansk region was now ‘complete’Twitter EPARussia has been accused of ‘flattening’ Luhansk’ smajor cities with artillery[/caption] Sitting in a televised meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, warn-out Putin tells his forces who fought in the campaign to capture the strategically-important region to “rest and develop their combat capabilities”. The Russian leader – who’s rumoured to have Parkinson’s or terminal cancer- staggered through his speech and appeared to almost doze off. In a hearse voice, Putin says: “Other military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans.” It comes as Shoigu reported that the “complete liberation” of the so call-ed Luhansk People’s Republic had been “successful”. MORE ON VLADIMIR PUTIN SHORT TEMPER Is tiny Putin's 'Napoleon complex' the reason he pushed world to brink of WW3? VLAD HEALTH Putin's hand ‘shakes uncontrollably’ and he looks unsteady as health is quizzed The region’s Ukrainian governor Serhiy Haidai said the city was abandoned so as to stop the Russians from destroying it from a distance. He told the BBC that Ukrainian defenders were new in new fortified positions. He admitted losing control of Luhansk to Russia was painful but hinted at a possible counter attack. “This is just one battle we have lost, but not the war,” he said. Most read in The Sun TOWIE TRAGEDY Yazmin Oukhellou suffers 'extremely serious' damage to arm as boyfriend dies TOWIE TRAGEDY Towie's Yazmin Oukhellou seriously injured in smash that killed Jake McLean COURT FEELINGS Sue Barker in tears on Centre Court as BBC legend shakes off laryngitis 'unconditional love' Christine McGuinness says she’s organising party solo as Paddy trains RY'S NEW MAN Rylan Clark kisses and cuddles Geordie Shore star's ex on romantic night out GREEK GOD Grealish shows stunning physique as he trains topless in Greece after wedding fun The strategically important city of Lysychansk fell into Russian hands today, completing a long-held objective by Moscow to capture the whole of the Donbas region which consists of neighbouring Donetsk. Just before the invasion on February 24, Putin recognised the so-called independent states of Luhansk and Donetsk where Russian proxies have been fighting an insurgency since 2014. The capture of Lysuchansk, sealing the rest of Luhansk for Moscow, was a major military goal set out by the Kremlin when it invaded earlier this year and rounds off a dismal campaign to capture the whole of Ukraine. Mad Vlad’s troops marched across the border in Belarus and western Russia in a bid to capture Kyiv in what Putin believed would be a ‘short war’. What ensued was weeks of fighting that cost Putin tens of thousands of troops and equipment and forced his men to retreat from Kyiv after failing capturing the capital and installing its own puppet government. Reports about Putin’s declining health have continued to persist after the leader was spotted looking unwell at public gatherings and was pictured with a thyroid cancer doctor. In April, Putin gurned while clutching a candle near the altar at a midnight mass for Orthodox Easter. He was filmed fidgeting and biting his lips and appeared agitated. Meanwhile, a US spy chief claimed Putin was received advanced treatment for cancer. The high-ranking officials reportedly said aides inside the Kremlin are “sensing that the end is near” for the 69-year-old Russian dictator. It’s been claimed that Putin could already be using tricks such as pre-recorded appearances and even body doubles to stage manage his health. The three US spy chiefs, who read the latest intelligence report on Putin’s health at the end of May, said there are concerns Putin is increasingly paranoid about his hold on power. One of the sources told Newsweek: “Putin’s grip is strong but no longer absolute. “The jockeying inside the Kremlin has never been more intense during his rule, everyone sensing that the end is near.” All three officials – from the Director of National Intelligence, the US Air Force, and the Defense Intelligence Agency – warned Putin’s isolation has made it difficult for US intelligence to assess his status and health. There are reports insiders are already plotting to overthrow the Russian dictator and may use his poor health as an excuse to cover-up the move. While former-CIA Moscow station chief Daniel Hoffman claimed Putin’s cronies will look to secretly overthrow the president if his invasion of Ukraine starts to go south. “These guys that are going to do it are going to be so secret about it so that Putin doesn’t find them and kill them first,” Hoffman said. “It’ll happen all of a sudden. And he’ll be dead.” Read More on The Sun IN A SPIN The £1 hack to keep your washing machine clean & get amazing smelling clothes POINT TO PROVE My daughter was hit with 6 points on licence - she's not old enough to drive The former intelligence chief said that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine could lead to his own undoing, and members of his inner-circle could be set for a mutiny to seize control of the conflict. “Nobody’s gonna ask, ‘Hey Vladimir, would you like to leave?’ No. It’s a f**king hammer to the head and he’s dead. Or it’s time to go to the sanatorium,” Hoffman told The Daily Beast. APPutin told his forces to ‘rest and develop combat capabilities’ following today’s capture of Lysychansk[/caption]