Expert describes possible security measure used by 'very high-profile target' Vladimir Putin

An expert has weighed in on why Russian president Vladimir Putin could be very difficult to assassinate.

Sir Richard Dearlove is a former chief at MI6, the UK's international intelligence agency, has opened up about 'credible' reports that Putin uses a body double for many of his public appearances.

Putin's international reputation as well as his aggressive foreign policy including the invasion of Ukraine make him a target for a lot of people, and Sir Dearlove suggested that security concerns may mean that he uses a body double.

“There will be occasions, and it would depend on the circumstances, when he certainly, for security reasons, would have a body double," he told The Sun.

He explained that s figure such as Putin would require a very high level of security.

“It’s almost a normal security measure for somebody like Putin – who is a very high-profile target," he said, even implying that the danger towards Putin may not necessarily come from outside Russia.

“Bear in mind that assassination has been a pretty common part of Russian politics for many, many years," he said.

Putin is a big target to be assassinated (Contributor/Getty Images)

But while it's not impossible that someone within Russia may wish to assassinate Putin, there is also one country in particular which could stand to benefit greatly from his assassination - Ukraine.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is continuing to grind on, and on multiple occasions Ukraine has shown that it has the capability to successfully strike targets deep inside Russia, so any occasion where Putin is outdoors particularly could place him at risk falling foul of a drone or missile strike, if Ukrainian intelligence were able to pinpoint where Putin was quickly and precisely enough.

“He would be a drone target for the Ukrainians as well, if they could know exactly where he was when," said Sir Dearlove. “So I think it’s quite logical that in certain circumstances… he uses a body double.”

Explaining the sorts of circumstances where a body double may be used, he said: “But let’s say someone is walking around a car factory, or visiting a children’s playground — particularly if it’s an outdoor event and the press is at a distance. There’s a security implication there.

Some speculate that Putin uses a body body (Contributor/Getty Images)

“You can’t be sure of controlling the environment entirely, particularly from a drone attack. These are the sort of occasions where Putin would use a body double.”

Of course there are some circumstances where the use of a body double would be very difficult, for example when Putin has to meet with other heads of state or officials, which would require him to be there in person.

Security measures around leaders being targeted by drone or air strikes are not without foundation. For example, the US and Israel were able to kill Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in airstrikes on Tehran, meaning that such strikes are not impossible.

But it's not just security concerns with Putin that have led to speculation around body doubles. Other, unproven, rumours have also circulated about Putin's declining health, though Moscow continues to assert that Putin is in good health.