Russians examine monkeys to search out key to immortality as Putin tries to cheat dying

Russian scientists are studying elderly monkeys in an attempt to extend the healthy human lifespan in a quest to cheat death, Putin’s close ally Mikhail Kovalchuk has revealed

Russian scientists are studying monkeys in an attempt to go beyond the natural limits of the human lifespan. The new research is the latest development in the nation’s quest to “cheat God or nature” and achieve immortality. Close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Kovalchuk, has begun to look at elderly monkeys in an attempt to extend the healthy human lifespan.

Speaking to reporters at the the Kurchatov Genomic Forum in Moscow Kovalchuk, head of the Kurchatov Institute, said: “We are now screening elderly monkeys to look at all stages of aging.”

According to state news outlet Tass, the new research involves more than 7,000 primates. In this group of monkeys exists a smaller section of apes Kovalchuk described as a “unique group.” This group contains older monkeys aged between 20 and more than 30-years-old.

Kovalchuk has revealed the researchers at the institute are examining the monkeys older than 30-years-old and conducting biochemical, structural, vascular tests and brain analyses on the elderly animals. Previously Russian president Vladimir Putin has spoken of greatly extending the human lifespan.

The Russian leader has previously said he believes immortality may one day be possible.

In a previous meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping while talking about ageing the two world leaders were heard speculating that people may be able to live up to 150-years-old one day.

In the previous meeting an interpreter to Putin said: “In the past, people rarely lived longer than 70 years, but today they say at 70, you are still a child,” conveying Xi’s message.

Putin replied: “With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality.”

Kovalchuk has longstanding ties with the Russian leader and has called himself a close friend to Putin. The Russian scientist also describes himself as an informal scientific adviser to Putin on topics such as genetics.

Maria Vorontsova, Putin’s oldest daughter, also studies genetics and has her own longevity laboratory where she helps extend people’s life spans, Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reports. The newspaper claimed Putin’s daughter’s work strives to extend human lifespan in an attempt to “cheat God or nature.”

Vorontsova, 41, is being positioned as a key face of the Kremlin’s £21billion longevity drive, a state-backed programme. In the broadcast, the dictator’s daughter reportedly said the “main driver” pushing scientists towards longer life is “the existential fear of death”.

She further claimed: “Russia has every chance of being the first to invent a pill against ageing.” Moreover, she also reportedly hinted at how tightly the Kremlin wants such breakthroughs controlled.

“It is important to establish the criteria for who should be prescribed this pill,” Vorontsova added. The project, dubbed “New Health Preservation Technologies”, is reportedly operating under a government mandate to deliver practical longevity milestones by 2030.