FACT CHECK: Did Elon Musk Reveal That Vladimir Putin Had A Failed Cancer Surgery?

A post shared on Facebook claims Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a failed cancer surgery.

Verdict: False

There is no record of Musk making such a claim.

Fact Check:

Putin’s health has been the subject of speculation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in late February, according to Politico. Some doctors and intelligence officials allege he is ill, perhaps even gravely so.

A May 30 Facebook post claims Musk recently revealed the Russian leader has cancer. “Elon Musk JUST LEAKED -Putin’s Cancer Surgery Failed!” reads the post, which includes a nine-minute video about the allegation. (RELATED: Did The Russian Embassy In Kenya Put Out This Press Release About Imported Sputnik V Vaccines?)

“Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine many statements about the health of Russian President Vladimir Putin have appeared in the press and social networks,” says the narrator in the video. “This is confirmed by Elon Musk. The president of Russia recently had a complicated operation and it was probably unsuccessful.”

In reality, there is no record of Musk revealing any information about Putin’s health. None of the billionaire’s tweets mention Putin being seriously ill. There are likewise no credible news reports about Musk making any statements about Putin’s health. Musk did, however, challenge Putin to a fight in a March 14 tweet.

An anonymous Telegram channel with purported inside information claims Putin did undergo cancer surgery in May, according to the New York Post. The claim, however, has not been verified.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases