Russian despot Vladimir Putin is a ‘dead man walking’ who rarely steps foot outside the Kremlin, British military experts have claimed.  

At 72, Putin’s health has reportedly been in decline, with experts noting that his aggressive campaign in Ukraine has further drained his energy.

Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former leader of the UK’s Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Regiment, informed the Mirror that some analysts believe Putin might be a ‘dead man walking,’ suggesting his initiatives in Ukraine could lead to his downfall.

Bruce Jones, a prominent UK analyst on Russian affairs, remarked that leadership transitions in Russia rarely happen peacefully. He pointed out that Putin, aware of this, has previously resorted to eliminating adversaries and understands the risks of making unpopular decisions in Moscow, possibly justifying his caution about potential threats.

And Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, added: ‘There are plenty of people who would want to have Putin bumped off. But his security is so tight that there is a real question over whether that is at all achievable and I believe that for the moment it is unlikely to happen.’

The speculation comes as the Kremlin yesterday revealed that it had Putin’s name off the Russian delegation attending talks with Ukraine in Turkey. 

Moscow said that its envoy of four would not include the president who began the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It is not currently known why Putin, who did not say whether he would attend, has not confirmed his appearance at the talks. 

US President Donald Trump will also not be attending the peace talks in Turkey, a US official said in response to the Kremlin’s announcement. 

The Kremlin has left despot Vladimir Putin’s (pictured) name off the Russian delegation attending talks with Ukraine in Turkey

Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) will sit at the table only with the Russian leader

A muzzle flash lights up pine trees as the British Army’s Archer Mobile Howitzer gun fires during training near Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle, Finland, in November

Trump previously said that he may join the warring leaders in the Eurasian country if Putin were also to join. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is among U.S. officials due to be in Turkey for the talks.

Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said Volodymyr Zelensky will sit at the table only with the Russian leader. 

Putin proposed restarting direct talks ‘without preconditions’ on Thursday in Istanbul about the more than three-year war. Zelenskyy then challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person. 

The four who will appear in Turkey, where Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he would travel to for peace talks, in his stead include adviser Vladimir Medinsky and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, who took part in the last talks held between the two sides in 2022 in the weeks following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

Also named as part of the delegation was Igor Kostyukov, director of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the GRU, Russia’s Foreign Military Intelligence Agency. 

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday he would try to urge Putin to attend the talks. 

Lula has maintained close ties with Putin despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – a position that has caused tensions with the Kyiv government and raised eyebrows in the West.

Lula on Wednesday stopped over in Moscow on his return from a state visit in China, where he told journalists: ‘When I get to Moscow, I’m going to try to talk to Putin. It won’t cost me anything to say, `Hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate.’

They did not meet, but the Kremlin said he and Putin spoke by phone. The Kremlin said Lula referenced the peace talks and ‘intends to do everything in his power to ensure their success.’ 

It said Putin expressed gratitude for efforts to find ways to resolve the conflict. 

The US and Western European leaders have threatened Russia with further sanctions if there is no progress in halting the fighting in Ukraine.

France’s foreign minister said he is working with US Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading ally of Trump, on a potential new package of what he called ‘devastating’ sanctions.

The measures would aim to ‘asphyxiate once and for all the Russian economy’ and squeeze Russia ‘by the throat,’ with possible 500% import tariffs on Russian oil and countries that buy it, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said. He told French broadcaster BFMTV he would see Graham on Thursday in Turkey.

Mortar platoon soldiers with an 82mm mortar perform a combat mission as Ukrainian soldiers hold their positions in the snow-covered Serebryan Forest

Civilians take part in a military training activity day conducted by the Ukrainian Volunteer Army

Sanctions already adopted by Ukraine’s allies have failed to stop Putin.

Russian forces have been readying a fresh military offensive to maximize pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position, Ukrainian government and military analysts say.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said Tuesday that Russia is ‘attempting to prolong negotiations to extract additional concessions from the United States and while making additional battlefield advances.’