Vladimir Putin is ‘constantly’ accompanied by a doctor specialising in thyroid cancer, a new investigation shows.

Surgeon Yevgeny Selivanov, of Moscow’s Central Clinical Hospital, has flown to the Russian leader no less than 35 times in Black Sea resort Sochi, his favourite place of residence.

The respected doctor’s thesis – showing his area of medical expertise – was entitled: ‘Peculiarities of diagnostics and surgical treatment of elderly and senile patients with thyroid cancer’.

The discovery by investigative media Project (or Proekt) media – blocked in Russia and now functioning from abroad – backs recent theories that Putin declared war when he was suffering medical problems hidden from the Russian people.