re: Update pg 23: Russia,IMO, will default on its sovereign debt within six months

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Russian, what is your opinion of the reports in European press about Vlad having cancer?

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I have no insight into that situation. Like you, all I know is what I read on the news.

My guess is it's not true and probably just wishful thinking of some of his opponents, either foreign or domestic, part.

It's also not totally out of the question that Putin himself has put out those rumors in an attempt for him to identify which of his "loyal" people start hedging their bets to move to other possible successors. Russians do that kind of double-cross, intrigue stuff in order to assess the real loyalty of their followers.