Did Lockdown Drive Putin Mad?

2 min read

According to the Council for Foreign Relations in the U.S., Vladimir Putin may have lost his marbles due to a combination of Long Covid and prolonged bouts of isolation during lockdown. MailOnline has more.

With the eyes of the world on Vladimir Putin, questions are being asked about the Russian leader’s state of mind after he announced the invasion of Ukraine in “rambling, terrifying, apocalyptic” fashion.

Rumours surrounding the Russian leader’s health have been swirling for years, with repeated reports suggesting that he is suffering from cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

On top of that, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both the President’s physical and mental health can’t be underestimated, and it’s been suggested that brain fog as a result of Long Covid could be impairing his cognitive function.

Although it’s not clear if he’s had the virus, the Sputnik vaccine is not known to be reliable and after isolating in September after members of his inner circle tested positive he disappeared from view for a long period in October.

The US think tank the Council For Foreign relations has speculated that, after behaviour and statements that are “off” and “not right”, he is suffering brain fog induced by Long Covid.

What’s more, the isolation caused by the pandemic itself could have left the 69 year-old even further detached from reality, with one neuropsychologist claiming the ‘progressive isolation’ could have led to hubris syndrome, which “diminished his ability to weigh up risk”.

It is commonly associated with a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one’s own competence, accomplishments or capabilities.

It is characterised by a pattern of exuberant self-confidence, recklessness and contempt for others, and is most particularly recognised in subjects holding positions of significant power.

Surrounded by Russian cronies who are terrified to tell him no, Putin is hardly a world leader who could be associated with being the most grounded or level headed.

But in televised addresses leading up to the invasion of Ukraine, he’s been by turns rambling, terrifying and apocalyptic while yesterday he gave a chilling warning to its allies in the West, promising there would be dire consequences for any foreign state that ‘interferes’.

Professor Ian Robertson, a neuropsychologist at Trinity College Dublin, has suggested he could be suffering from hubris syndrome.

Speaking to the I, Robertson said Putin’s political trajectory “is as much personal as political, because once the hubris syndrome takes hold in the brain, the personal and the national are identical because the leader is the nation and its destiny”.

Alternatively, he may just be a psychopath.

Worth reading in full.

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196 Comments
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Newman20
Newman20
4 years ago

I predict that he has made a massive miscalculation that will result in his demise before long.

True Spirit of America Party
True Spirit of America Party
4 years ago

Sounds like a load of hooey. Or should I say, KHUY?

Bella Donna
Bella Donna
4 years ago

Putin suffering from brain fog? FFS The news about Putin goes from bad to worse, if that’s at all possible!

Banjones
Banjones
4 years ago

Or, alternatively, it’s been made worth his while to provide a distraction (provided the Chinese games were over) just at the right time.

twi5ted
twi5ted
4 years ago

Maybe the Chinese have whispered in his ear about what the west are doing in those Ukraine biolabs. Iran and China both had large early breakouts of covid just saying.

JohnMcCarthy
JohnMcCarthy
4 years ago

Putin has not gone ‘full tonto’. Check out the history of this situation and it is obvious that his responses have been appropriate and well considered.

vivaldi
vivaldi
4 years ago

Why was this article even included in today’s LS? Padding out the newsletter? Has the ‘madness’ of lockdowns got to the editors of LS….seems like it sometimes!

JohnMcCarthy
JohnMcCarthy
4 years ago

Why is Ukraine the West’s Fault? Featuring John Mearsheimer

https://youtu.be/JrMiSQAGOS4

Over an hour long but an insightful analysis.

vivaldi
vivaldi
4 years ago
Reply to  JohnMcCarthy

That is well worth reading rather than various news papers this morning.

Bella Donna
Bella Donna
4 years ago
Reply to  JohnMcCarthy

Nato is to blame – and who runs Nato? The USA !

JohnMcCarthy
JohnMcCarthy
4 years ago

because once the hubris syndrome takes hold in the brain, the personal and the national are identical because the leader is the nation and its destiny”.

Did not Fauci say that an attack on him was an attack on the Science?

Wilt
Wilt
4 years ago

And what does the “think tank “ say about Biden🥴

Aleajactaest
Aleajactaest
4 years ago

good to see so much (rightly) pushback against the usual MSM narratives. It’s what they do.

Luckily t’internet has resources that counter the psyops.

https://therealslog.com/2022/02/25/bear-status-update-poked/ (this one, google the author for her Russia creds)

https://thesaker.is/russian-operation-in-the-ukraine-end-of-day-2/

the second link cemented some of the rumours I had heard regarding neo-Nazis running the show in the Ukraine – possible backed by the usual Three Letter Agencies.

Maidan anyone?

tpv
tpv
4 years ago

It is disappointing that Toby would write this. Has he forgotten 2 years worth of lockdown sceptics articles?
1) long covid does not drive people mad, it was primarily an invention of the MSM to make covid more scary than it is:
https://dailysceptic.org/2021/11/17/french-study-suggests-that-long-covid-is-mostly-psychosomatic/
2) it is impossible that Putin went mad while in isolation. Gavin Newsom, Brian Pallister, Boris Johnson, Biden- none of these followed their rules, proving they did not believe covid was serious or isolation necessary. And shall we for 1 second accept that Putin believed the lies of the covid narrative and locked himself away? Not a chance.

If Putin is mad (which proposition is soundly refuted by many of the previous comments), it was NOT caused by covid or lockdown. How unspeakably sad to find such a ludicrous suggestion on this site.

Bella Donna
Bella Donna
4 years ago
Reply to  tpv

I believe the article originated from the Daily Mail – whose role in our lives is to publish fake news .

ellie-em
ellie-em
4 years ago

Here we go again with another saga of misinformation and misdirection, aimed not at an insipid virus but now attempting to alienate everyone against Russia, specifically Putin. Many populations have already been primed in how to behave in group think due to the coronavirus debacle.

Are we now to look forward to another motley crew being assembled to steer the government and people through this pre planned emergency, similar to SAGE, known as WAGE – Warmongers Advisory Group for Emergencies?

HEZ
HEZ
4 years ago

Is it more likely to be about the pipelines running through Ukraine and the feeling he is losing control of them as the Ukraine moves away from Russia and towards the West?

Pilla
Pilla
4 years ago

I should also have said that this totally aggravated potential war will be to distract us from what will be going on elsewhere (eg cyber attacks, economy collapse, evil laws, etc).

Jack Daw
Jack Daw
4 years ago

Alternatively, he may just be a psychopath.

A much more likely diagnosis.

Bella Donna
Bella Donna
4 years ago
Reply to  Jack Daw

Why is he being classed as a psychopath for protecting his country’s defences? Its the West who has broken the agreement made several years ago that Nato would not encroach eastwards, and the West broke that promise!

DevonBlueBoy
DevonBlueBoy
4 years ago

Putin believes that forcibly enslaving millions of people under the banner of the USSR was a good thing. That’s the belief of a sane person?

JohnMcCarthy
JohnMcCarthy
4 years ago
Reply to  DevonBlueBoy

I think you will find that the USSR ceased to exist in 1991.

A quote from Putin:
‘Whoever does not miss the Soviet Union has no heart. Whoever wants it back has no brain.’

If nothing else he recognises the realpolitik.

Pilla
Pilla
4 years ago

I am amazed that Toby can write this article which shows that he is totally believing what the government and the MSM are saying!! Since when have either of them been trustworthy sources of information? He should look at what they are not saying, but he also needs to watch yesterday’s UK Column news (https://www.ukcolumn.org/ukcolumn-news/uk-column-news-25th-february-2022) and ongoing, as well as James Corbett (https://www.bitchute.com/video/U7wAdvOUtH0f/). UK Column news showed a report of the Ukraine president publicly mulling over the idea of bringing in Western nuclear weapons, which would be enough to set Putin off. They also described Putin as the only grown-up in the conversation (bearing in mind how embarrassing Johnson and Truss have been). It is as if no one in this country (or the US) is remotely educated in history or remotely conscious of realpolitik. The West has created a situation where Ukraine becomes the meat in the sandwich. I am unpleasantly surprised by Toby on this one – talk to James Delingpole about this one, Toby! I take my hat off to Toby in other areas, but on this one he is the one who is mad!

maggie may
maggie may
4 years ago
Reply to  Pilla

I’m not sure why you’re assuming these are Toby’s thoughts? He is merely quoting a MailOnline article and linking to it. He does make the comment at the end that alternatively Putin may be just a psychopath! Perhaps that is what he believes.

mojo
mojo
4 years ago

My goodness…..do those socialists and globalists ever give up with their depressing gaslighting. First it wasPresident Trump who was deranged and now it’s President Putin.

When will we rid ourselves of these Globalists. Someone once said Socialism was a disease of the brain. I am now believing we can widen that to the Globalists and indeed most of the Western world.

Joe 90
Joe 90
4 years ago

There’s no easy way to say this, but to be perfectly honest I really don’t care about Russia or the Ukraine – in fact they can blow each other to kingdom come for all I care because right now I hate our very own political leadership far more than I hate Putin – this governments covid policies for the last two years have wreaked more harm and more pain on this country than any foreign dictator could have have inflicted – policies and reponses to a virus that were so completely insane at times that they make Putin’s military exploits in the Ukraine look balanced and rational.

Proveritate
Proveritate
4 years ago

What’s more, the isolation caused by the pandemic itself could have left the 69 year-old even further detached from reality, with one neuropsychologist claiming the ‘progressive isolation’ could have led to hubris syndrome, which “diminished his ability to weigh up risk”.

Huge, huge dose of begging the question here. What proof does this neuropsychologist have that Putin is diminished in his ability to weigh up risk? Perhaps he has very well weighed up the risk and concluded that it is a risk worth taking. History will prove whether his judgment is right or wrong on that, not some neuropsychologist begging the question.

coppelledstreets
coppelledstreets
4 years ago

According to the Council for Foreign Relations in the U.S., Vladimir Putin may have lost his marbles due to a combination of Long Covid and prolonged bouts of isolation during lockdown. MailOnline has more.

Firstly I have issues with DS using DM content, i can accept it once or twice.

Please tell me about the other lonely Billionaires, as i need a date.

milesahead
milesahead
4 years ago

‘The US think tank the Council For Foreign relations has speculated that, after behaviour and statements that are “off” and “not right”, he is suffering brain fog induced by Long Covid.’

What’s Biden’s excuse?

RedhotScot
RedhotScot
4 years ago

I wonder if the peaceful protesters in Moscow have been beaten, arrested and had their bank accounts frozen?

brachiopod
brachiopod
4 years ago

Stop the presses.

Despite The Ukraine not being in NATO, the idiot Stoltenberg is sending NATO troops into The Ukraine.
Have we missed something?
Doesn’t the Ukrainian Parliament have to ask for help first?
And since NATO is not an actual country, nor is The Ukraine a part of NATO, so there is no avenue for NATO to be asked for help under their charter.

So, who exactly can they ask for help who can then instruct Stoltenberg to send NATO troops into the Ukraine to start WW3 with Russia?

RedhotScot
RedhotScot
4 years ago
Reply to  brachiopod

Is Kuwait part of NATO?

Moderate Radical
Moderate Radical
4 years ago

I’m not saying anything:

8d2ac967-bdbc-411b-84b3-7c2b331c78b8.jpg
RedhotScot
RedhotScot
4 years ago

And Biden has complete command of his faculties………

Gregoryno6
Gregoryno6
4 years ago

Foggy Groper stumbles his way through press conferences, craps himself in public, and tells blatant lies about his bravery in the past.
But Putin’s the crazy one.
Riiiiight.

RedhotScot
RedhotScot
4 years ago
Reply to  Gregoryno6

Whoops, sorry I should have read all the comments.

brachiopod
brachiopod
4 years ago

I am minded of the saying that “just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean the bastards aren’t out to get you”
In this case anyone who follows international goings on knows that the USA has been trying to engineer a ‘falling out’ with the Russian Federation since Putin got it into a semblance of a country and threw out a number of carpet-bagging yanks who were busily stripping the country hollow.
The fault for the deaths and destruction in The Ukraine lie squarely with Eisenhower’s USA military industrial complex in all its many guises.
Why?
Because they pushed Russia too far and the result is to, to quote Victoria Nuland – who is still there causing trouble – “fuck the EU”, not to mention thousands of Russians and Ukrainians and millions around the World who will suffer starvation if The Ukraine and The Russian Federation fail to continue producing a large percentage of the food and energy they rely on.
Putin may be mad but Biden’s lot are plain stupid.

Nearhorburian
Nearhorburian
4 years ago
Reply to  brachiopod

“carpet-bagging yanks”

Strange way of describing Ashkenazi Jews.

realarthurdent
realarthurdent
4 years ago

I’m going to adopt the same policy for Ukraine that I adopted after about 4 weeks of the “pandemic”, which was to disbelieve everything I read in the mainstream media.

Amtrup
Amtrup
4 years ago
Reply to  realarthurdent

Ditto

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