Putin is terminally ill with cancer, Ukraine military claimsWatch: Ukraine's military intelligence says Putin has cancer and that he hopes he 'dies soon'Vladimir Putin has been terminally ill for a "very long" period and may die soon, Ukraine's head of military intelligence has claimed.The rumours appear to have originated from leaked audio, obtained by New Lines magazine, in which a Kremlin-linked oligarch appeared to suggest Putin had blood cancer and was "very ill".Read more: ‘Putin’s Chef’ Admits His Mercenaries Hit Dead End in Ukrainian StrongholdHowever, a former CIA officer warned the publication that Moscow has an "instinct" to spread disinformation, and that encouraging chatter may be part of its plan.Officials told Newsweek in June that they believed Putin was treated for "advanced cancer" in April, but the following month CIA director William Burns told a security conference: "As far as we can tell he's entirely too healthy".However, the UK Ministry of Defence tweeted: “Although questions are almost certainly usually vetted in advance, the cancellation is likely due to increasing concerns about the prevalence of anti-war feeling in Russia.”"