Solovei (Valerii)

Valerii Solovei (born 1960) is a Russian historian and political scientist. He served as a professor and headed the Public Relations Department at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) until his resignation on June 19, 2019.Solovei is known for his controversial political forecasts and conspiracy theories, including claims about the imminent end of Vladimir Putin's regime and assertions regarding Putin's health. On October 27, 2023, he announced that Putin had died from cancer complications, alleging that a body double had been representing him in recent months. Solovei's claim that Putin's body is kept in a refrigerator became a source of many "refrigerator" jokes and memes.As of December 2024, Solovei remains a prominent figure in Russian political discourse, frequently appearing in media and maintaining an active online presence. [ChatGPT, edited]