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Vladimir Putin has a “self-destructive death wish” amid rumours that he is suffering from small-man syndrome, a psychotherapist has suggested.

With the war in Ukraine now into its fourth month, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no indication of slowing down, forcing NATO to put 300,000 troops on high alert.

Fears of an escalation into a World War Three scenario have also been stoked by suspicions surrounding Putin’s ailing health, and one glam wife of a Russian Oligarch has admitted being scared that Putin won’t care about the consequences of his actions if he is ill.

READ MORE: Putin leading a 'terrorist state', Ukrainian President Zelensky tells UN

And, after the UK’s Defence Secretary Ben Wallace suggested that the despot’s decisions have been influenced by his “little man syndrome”, a psychotherapist has questioned Putin’s mental state.

Speaking on Times Radio, psychotherapist Lucy Beresford reflected on the Defence Secretary’s comments, and suggested: “That was an attempt to diminish what Putin is doing as if to say, ‘you’re such an inferior person, you’re so small, that actually you have to run around and show everyone how great you are… in order to compensate for your own inadequacies'."

Lucy suggested that the reality is that Putin likely is affected by little man syndrome, having developed self-confidence after being surrounded by frightened advisors throughout his reign.

“He’s got that potential for being very dramatic,” she continued.

“But he might also have this self-destructive death wish really, almost a desire to be caught because you’ve got to the point where he believes he is invincible but he almost needs someone to stop him and say, ‘no you’re not, go back into the playground’.”

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This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke out against Putin, and accused him of leading a “terrorist state” after his troops bombed a shopping centre containing 1,000 innocent civilians.

This has resulted in NATO taking further steps to protect countries near the Russian border, with US President Joe Biden sending thousands more troops to Europe to form an iron curtain around Russia’s neighbours.

READ MORE:

• New image shows massive Soviet-era missile that destroyed Ukrainian shopping centre
• Putin's 'Iron Doll' TV propagandist issues threat to nuke London due to 'hostile' NATO
• Brave Ukrainian soldier, 55, with no legs fights to defend home from Putin's troops

• Vladimir Putin
• Russia Ukraine war
• Russia

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