Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said Putin is using his likenesses. The Kremlin rejected the allegations.
The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Major General Kirilo Budanov, said in August 2022 about Putin's ears that they looked different in his public appearances on many occasions. "Putin's lookalikes have different habits, different behavior, different feelings, and sometimes they have different lengths if you look closely," he said. The magazine concluded with what the head of Ukraine's military intelligence said in a Ukrainian television program that Putin's habits, appearance and even height changed.