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Vladimir Putin is alive but has been 'neutralised' by shadowy security chiefs who have staged a stealthy coup, according to the head of a leading Russian Muslim group.

Geydar Dzhemal, chairman of Russia's Islamic Committee, claimed former security service chief Nikolai Patrushev was behind the plot.

The Russian leader hasn't been seen in public for the past 9 days.

Dzhemal, who is seen as a Kremlin loyalist, said: "I think that Putin is neutralised at the moment, but of course, he is alive.

"He is under the control of the power-wielding agencies, who have, in my opinion, organised a coup d'etat."

(Image: Getty)

Recent pictures of Putin supposedly working during a nine day absence from public sight was "playing for time" by the plotters, he claimed.

"My information is that Patrushev met Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in Pyatigorsk on 11 March and tempted him over to his side."

He also pointed to a recent visit by Patrushev - head of Putin's security council and seen as a Putin crony - to the US.

The visit came despite sanctions barring visits by most senior Russian officials.

"I think he was offered something there that he failed to reject," claimed Dzhemal on Georgian TV channel Rustavi-2.

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This came amid a claim that pictures issued by the Kremlin on Friday of Putin meeting Supreme Court head Vyachevslav Lebedev may date from 2011.

The images were rushed out in a bid to show Putin is still at work, and followed the release of other photographs which had been taken on or before 5 March when he was last seen in public.

(Image: Reuters)

With feverish speculation in Moscow over Putin's health and whereabouts, and claims of a bitter power struggle in his entourage which could even trigger an attempted coup, the head of Chechnya spoke emotionally of people "trying to harm the president of Russia - and Russia itself".

And he claimed that forces were scheming "to break us apart", referring to him and his guarantor Putin.

As startling has been the lack of shows of support in recent days from other senior Kremlin cardinals during an absence which has no obvious parallel in his 15 years as president or premier.

The voices of prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the Kremlin staff Sergei Ivanov - and Putin's intelligence tsars - have remained silent.

Kadyrov has enjoyed extraordinary power and largesse under Putin as a reward for keeping an iron grip on the rebellious oil-rich Chechen region, scene of two bloody wars since the collapse of the USSR.

As a result he is hated by many senior Putin loyalists.

But Kadyrov's enemies claimed yesterday that the 38 year old bearded regional potentate is in "panic" because he can no longer contact his mentor.

"He is phoning anyone he can in an attempt to arrange a talk with Putin - but he fails," alleged a website linked to Islamic hardliners seeking to overthrow Kadyrov.

One of the two men formally charged with killing opposition leader Boris Nemtsov is a personal friend of Kadyrov, who spoke out in his support for the second time yesterday.

"I'll repeat now that I knew him as a true warrior and patriot," he said of Zaur Dadayev, who is accused of murder.

There are allegations that a security official closer to Kadyrov ordered the Nemtsov murder, and that the FSB and Interior Ministry in Moscow have full proof.

His slaying has triggered bitter factional infighting in the Kremlin, which includes talk of defence and security service generals seeking to replace Putin.

Others believe Putin will reemerge tomorrow to stamp his authority once more on his government.

There were also unverified claims last week that Putin's alleged girlfriend, Olympic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, 31, had given birth to a child in Switzerland. This was denied by the Kremlin.

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The political chaos in Moscow comes after Western sanctions and a low oil price have caused mayhem to the Russian economy, with a serious fall in the rouble.

Many of the clans in Putin's entourage became hugely rich under his rule, but now face their fortunes evaporating.

Software experts in Russia yesterday suggested the pictures of Putin meeting Lebedev, supposedly taken Friday, were created in 2011 and modified a year later.

But Putin is shown in front of the presidential flag, though he was not head of state in 2011.