The Kremlin is being accused of faking Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance at an Easter service after pictures released by the government of his supposed attendance at a church were strikingly similar to those published last year.

Many have noted that in both this year’s and last year’s pictures, Putin is seen alongside Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, with both men dressed exactly the same way in both years’ photos.

Investigate media outlet Agentstvo said that in footage of the ceremony from this year, Putin “seemed to disappear for a moment during the switching of shots, from a close-up with the president to a more general one,” with “the place where Putin should be seems to be empty.”

Footage from Putin’s meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also raised questions, with the Russian leader appearing bloated and slouched, and seemingly grabbing the table throughout the meeting for support.

The mounting evidence appears to suggest that Putin is in ill health, some say.

“I am persuaded by a lot of medical advice that he is an ill man and the most persuasive diagnosis is that he has early Parkinson’s,” said Professor Gwythian Prins, a former government defense and NATO adviser. “I happen to live with a clinical neurological psychologist – my wife – who has spent 30 years dealing with people who have had degenerative brain diseases.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)